Behind Those Sad Eyes is a Smile
by acesdesire
Summary: Every time Cloud looked at him, Tidus would freeze for a moment, mesmerized by the vulnerable glimmer that he could, for some reason, now detect in Cloud's eyes. Cloud may have been hard on the outside, but he wasn't on the inside. Cloud hid things, things from his past, things that upset him, and Tidus wanted to know them all. More than anything, he wanted to make them go away.
1. Reckless

**Chapter 1: Reckless**

"He's getting away!" Tidus shouted, racing after his attacker.

Cloud stood face-to-face with a manikin, a type of enemy that he had fought far too many times for it to worry him. His slim brows sank into a frown as he punished the manikin with a few heavy blows of his blade, then watched as it plummeted to the ground and vanished. Cloud swung his sword over his shoulder with a satisfied nod.

It was only a second later that Cloud heard Tidus give another shout—this one, a great deal more panicked—and Cloud glanced around until he saw his companion. The younger swordsman was pinned against a tree, a Kain manikin at his side with a long spear resting in front of his neck. Cloud quickly analyzed the situation. He could tell from the look on Tidus' face that there was no way he could make a move. A quick dart of his eyes, and Cloud was on his way to devising a plan. His eyelids fell closed, and he thrust a fist out in front of him.

"Fira," he uttered.

Tidus watched as magic flew from Cloud's hand, and headed for the tree. The manikin didn't take its eyes off of Cloud. It tilted its cocky head to the side, as if to mock Cloud's poor aim. Thankfully, Tidus caught on to Cloud's plan before the enemy did. Tidus jumped out of the way as the branch above him caught fire, and the manikin let out a garbled squeal as the burning tree limb fell upon it. Cloud took that opportunity to charge at the creature, and finished it off with his Cross-Slash attack. Tidus—who was on the ground at this point—picked himself up, and brushed himself off as Cloud approached him.

"You okay?" Cloud asked, scanning his companion for injuries.

"Thanks to you. Thought I was a goner," Tidus said, throwing his arms around Cloud's neck. The sudden contact startled Cloud, and he remained still and frozen throughout the awkward embrace. Cloud quickly shrugged his comrade off of him, but Tidus continued to smile.

"We should get back to camp," the older blond said as he placed his giant sword on his back.

"Yeah, alright. Think the area's clear now?" Tidus asked.

"I hope so." Cloud turned his back and started off in the direction of the camp.

"That was a pretty smooth move," Tidus remarked, trotting after Cloud. "You thought fast."

"It's part of the job," Cloud shrugged.

"I guess I have to work on that." Tidus chuckled, trying to get at least a hint of a smile out of Cloud. He knew Cloud's smiles were rare, but he loved the challenge of trying to induce them anyway.

"Ask Cecil. He'll give you some pointers," Cloud replied, and kept walking.

Other people probably would have found Cloud's response a little strange; after all, Cloud himself seemed a perfectly fine candidate to give Tidus some training, but over the past few months of travelling with him, Tidus had learned that that was just Cloud's way. Cloud wasn't the sort to interact with people any more than was necessary, and Tidus had grown accustomed to it, despite the fact that it could be frustrating at times.

"Maybe I will," Tidus nodded, placing his hands behind his head as he followed along. From the sudden stiffness of Cloud's shoulders, Tidus got the feeling he was done talking, and he decided he would let Cloud enjoy the silence. For now.

* * *

><p>It was nightfall by the time the two men made it back to camp. Firion looked up from the fire Cecil was preparing, and smiled when he saw his friends approaching. Tidus walked alongside Cloud with a smile on his face, and looked to be making some light—albeit, one-sided—conversation. Tidus smiled even wider when he realized they had made it back to camp, and he took off at a run towards Firion and Cecil. He stopped when he reached them, and rested his hands triumphantly on his hips.<p>

"Hey guys. Miss me?" he asked with a grin.

"Things do tend to get a little dry without your positivity," Cecil said, tossing a few more twigs on the fire.

"That's right. We're always glad to see you two back safe," Firion added, with a smile. Tidus flopped down on his back, the grass tickling his arms as it blew in the wind. Cloud came to stand alongside Firion.

"Did you encounter any enemies?" Firion asked, looking up at his companion from where he sat.

"Manikins," Cloud replied, simply. With a light exhale, he took his sword off his back and carefully lowered it to the ground. Tidus bolted up into a sitting position, causing the others to look in his direction.

"Oh, it was so cool! One of the manikins had me cornered, and Cloud totally caught it off guard with this fire attack!" Tidus exclaimed, imitating Cloud's motions when he had cast his spell.

"Are you alright?" Cecil asked.

"Yes. It sounds dangerous," Firion stated, a look of worry on his face.

"Nah," Tidus grinned, hopping up from the ground. He slung an arm around Cloud's shoulder. "Cloud had my back."

Cloud's discomfort was quite obvious to everyone but Tidus. He scrunched his face up a little as he fidgeted under the younger man's touch. The contact was short-lived, however, as Tidus brought both arms above his head and stretched.

"So, what's for dinner?" Tidus asked, eyeing the growing fire.

"Nothing, tonight," Cecil responded. "We're running quite low on rations."

"You're kidding me," Tidus groaned, his hands dropping to his sides.

"Don't worry. We'll find something to eat soon," Firion said, beckoning Tidus and Cloud to sit by the warmth of the fire. They did so without objection, Tidus settling comfortably between Cloud and Firion. Once Cecil was satisfied with the state of the fire, he sat down on the ground with the others and watched as the flames rose and crackled.

"Seriously, no food? Not even a crumb?" Tidus asked, raising his hand and making a tiny space with his thumb and index finger, symbolizing the smallest amount of food imaginable.

"You'll survive one night," Cloud replied, monotonously.

"If you want to go take a look for something, Tidus, one of us will go with you. I just think we should hang on to the food we have for when we really need it," Firion explained. Tidus took a quick glance at Cloud, one that went unnoticed by the rest of the group. Not wanting to be a nuisance, he decided he would hold out like the others.

"No, it's alright," Tidus said, raising his hands out in front of him to let the fire warm them.

Several minutes passed and the evening sky was quickly darkening. Tidus let out an echoing yawn; Firion chuckled at his inability to suppress such a loud noise.

"Should we consider setting up camp?" Cloud asked.

"I suppose. We'll need our rest for the morning," Cecil agreed. Without another word, the white knight rose from his position on the ground, and proceeded towards the pile of travel gear they had left a few feet away from the fire.

"I'll help," Tidus said, leaping up and following Cecil's lead. Firion moved to help them, but he was stopped by a quiet request for him to wait.

"What is it, Cloud?" Firion asked, staring in confusion at the man beside him. Cloud sat almost motionless, his knee pulled up to his chest and his arm draped limply over it.

"Firion, can I ask you something?" Cloud's tone was flat, as usual, though his eyes were filled with an unusual curiosity as they rested on the blond man several feet away, fiddling with the tent along with Cecil.

"Sure," Firion answered, following Cloud's gaze.

"It's about Tidus. Is he always so... affectionate?"

Firion laughed.

"Are you referring to earlier?" he asked.

"I've just noticed him being a lot friendlier lately," Cloud replied, with a shrug.

"Yes, he_ can_ be affectionate, but you should know that by now, Cloud," Firion said, with a smile as they watched Tidus analyzing one of the tent poles, as if he didn't know which way it was supposed to go. After a moment's frustration, Tidus handed the pole over to Cecil, letting him figure it out on his own.

"He's just never been that way with _me_ before. It surprised me, is all," Cloud replied, after a moment.

"He's probably just getting to know you better. What's it been now? Three months? Four?" Firion pondered.

"Four sounds right," came Cloud's response.

"Yes. Travelling together for so long probably has something to do with it."

"I guess so."

Firion decided not to reply as Tidus smiled and made his way towards them, leaving Cecil to tackle the tent by himself.

"What're you guys talking about?" Tidus asked, a grin on his face.

"Just that we should be heading out early tomorrow morning," Firion said, assuming Cloud didn't want their actual topic to be revealed. "Right, Cloud?"

Cloud nodded, still mulling over Firion's words. He'd seen Tidus being chummy with their other comrades as well from time to time, but he'd never been so touchy-feely with him before. Maybe Tidus _was_ just getting comfortable around him.

A screech from behind caused the group to turn immediately and ready themselves for battle. Cloud leapt to his feet and raised his weapon from the ground with ease. The rest drew their weapons a moment later, glancing around in what was almost complete darkness as a water spell from an unknown caster flew towards the fire, putting it out completely.

"Do you see them?" Firion asked.

"No, but I can hear them," Cecil replied. "Manikins."

"He's right," Cloud added, listening hard as crystal feet slunk through the tall grass. "I can tell from the sound."

"Well, if it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get," Tidus said, bouncing on the spot, eager for battle.

"Keep a level head. Until we know where they're coming from, they have the advantage," Cloud reminded the boy beside him.

"I know that," Tidus replied, his spirits dampening only slightly by his elder's words of advice.

A rustle in the trees caused Firion to spin to the left. He drew his bow and readied an arrow, waiting for their enemies to draw nearer. Cloud looked behind him as he heard clinking crystal armour. A Garland manikin swung his sword menacingly, though Cloud could only tell it was him from the size of the shadowy weapon. A surprised yelp from Tidus only further convinced the group that they were surrounded.

The fight broke out. Try as they might, the Cosmos warriors' precision suffered thanks to the darkness impairing their vision. Cecil twirled his spear in his hand, attempting to hit the manikins now coming his way. Firion shot arrow after arrow aimlessly into the dark. Cloud backed up as he held his sword in front of him, hoping to block whatever attack his enemy was about to throw at him. He spun rapidly around as his back hit another form. He mustered what he hoped was a threatening grunt as he prepared to strike the unknown being.

"Hey!" Tidus shouted, jumping out of the way as he saw the moonlight reflect off of Cloud's sword. "Careful! It's just me!"

"Sorry," Cloud mumbled, turning back around to face the Garland manikin. Unfortunately, it was one step ahead of him. Cloud fell to the ground as the enemy's large sword collided with his own, knocking him off balance.

"Is everyone okay?" Firion called out to his companions, having heard the thump of Cloud hitting the ground.

"I _will_ be," Cloud answered, attempting to pick himself up as quickly as he could.

"Up you get," came Tidus' voice, and Cloud felt a hand on his arm, helping him up.

"Thanks," Cloud replied, though there was lingering frustration in his voice from the fall.

"Fira," Cecil called out, setting their small campfire ablaze again, giving them a bit more light, and setting fire to one of the manikins standing near it.

"Oh, right! That's their weakness!" Tidus called out, watching as the Kefka manikin he had been fighting went up in flames. The other Cosmos warriors began casting fire spells towards their enemies as fast as they could, now with more accuracy. Taking down their attackers suddenly became a much easier task with their eyes to guide them once more.

"Look! Those two are retreating!" Tidus yelled, pointing off into the distance where a couple of unidentifiable manikins were slithering away.

"Let them go!" Firion called back, as he continued to fight.

"If we follow them, we can find out where they're coming from. There could be more," Tidus argued.

"Let them go, Tidus. It's dark and we are unfamiliar with the area," Cecil replied.

"They'll just ambush us in the night!" Tidus responded without hesitation, taking off at a run.

"Tidus!" Firion hollered, but the boy continued to follow the escaping manikins into the sea of dark trees. Cecil and Firion, still busy with their own manikins, glanced toward Cloud as he finished off the Garland manikin with another fire spell.

"I'm on it," Cloud said, not needing to be asked. He wiped his sweat-covered brow and broke into a sprint, racing after his reckless companion.

* * *

><p>After several minutes of running, the woods became quiet. Only the sounds of night birds and crickets filled Cloud's ears as he listened for the runaway. Realizing he had probably taken a wrong turn somewhere and lost Tidus' trail, Cloud let out a frustrated sigh.<p>

"Shh!" shot a voice through the darkness. Cloud stood very still, unsure of where the response had come from.

"Tidus?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah. How'd you know?" Tidus whispered.

"Lucky guess."

"Try to be quiet. I'm listening for the manikins," Tidus explained, glancing around himself. Cloud could just barely make out Tidus' form now, standing right beside him. Cloud looked around, too, his ears focused on every little sound around them.

"I think you may have lost them," Cloud spoke up, quite sure of himself.

"No, they're still around," Tidus answered, taking a few careful steps ahead.

"We should head back," Cloud warned him. "I can't see a thing out here."

"Just a minute. I'm pretty sure..." Tidus trailed off as he heard a stick crack somewhere in the distance. Cloud had obviously heard it, too, as he slowly, stealthily went to draw his weapon. There was no time to react further when a wall of magic flew their way, lighting up the sky as it approached.

"Gah!" Tidus yelled, throwing an arm up in front of his eyes to block the light.

"Look out!" Cloud shouted, giving his companion a hard nudge in the side to get him to move out of the way. It was a wasted effort.

The spell covered more ground than Cloud had been expecting, and it threw both him and Tidus backwards into the air as it hit them. They shouted as painful electric waves coursed through their bodies. They expected they would soon hit the ground, but to their surprise, they didn't. The magic quickly wore off, but the men continued to fall through the air. And fall further. And they kept falling until finally they hit something. Water.

Tidus was the first to surface, gasping as his head rose above whatever body of water they had fallen into. He whipped his head around in all directions, hoping to see his friend nearby. He panicked when he didn't.

"Cloud!" he called out. Finally, a head appeared, accompanied by flailing arms. The moon's reflection on the water was enough so that Tidus could make out Cloud's form.

Tidus held his breath and dove under the water, quickly swimming toward his companion. It was obvious that Cloud wasn't a water dog like he was. He didn't really look like he knew how to stay afloat. Tidus rose up above the water again when he had reached his friend.

"Hold on, okay?" Tidus said, wrapping an arm around Cloud's waist, then kicking his feet out behind him, hoping he would have the strength to carry both himself and Cloud to shore. He didn't have to worry. Countless years of Blitzball had made him a very strong swimmer. He easily managed to reach the bank and aided Cloud in clambering onto the land.

Cloud coughed a few times, ridding his lungs of the water that had made its way in there. Tidus shook his head fast, sending droplets flying in all directions. He watched Cloud for a moment to make sure he was okay before wrapping his arms around himself, shivering.

"That water is freezing," he groaned.

"Yeah," was the only word Cloud could muster. Tidus sighed when he noticed the hilts of his and Cloud's swords sticking up above the surface a few metres away, and he bravely waded back in. He retrieved the weapons as fast as he could, ignoring the water's biting temperature, then returned to Cloud's side. He looked up at the sky and his stomach did an uncomfortable flip.

"Um, Cloud? You don't think there's any way we can climb back up there, do you?" he asked. Cloud glanced up, suddenly understanding Tidus' point. Crystals lined the rock walls around them, giving off a green glow. It was bright enough for the warriors to see their surroundings. They were inside what looked to be a canyon.

"Not a chance," Cloud answered. "Which means..."

"Which means we're lost," Tidus sighed. "Cold and lost."

Cloud took in a deep breath, hoping it would stop his body from shaking. When it did no good, he forced himself to get up. He could feel Tidus' eyes on him as he took a good look around. There was no end to the canyon. In one direction, the deep water seemed to go on for as far as Cloud could see. In the other direction, there seemed to be some soppy land, which looked to be a more viable option, though still not an overly desirable one.

"Come on," Cloud said, lending Tidus a hand and pulling him to his feet. "Maybe if we keep walking, we'll make it out of this canyon."

"Are you kidding? Why can't we just sleep here and continue on in the morning?" Tidus asked. Cloud bit his tongue to prevent himself from scolding the man in front of him. If Tidus had just stayed put in the first place, they probably _could have_ been sleeping in their warm tents by now, but there was no point in arguing about it. They were stuck in this place, regardless.

"The ground's too wet. We'll end up catching colds if we sleep here," Cloud explained.

"I guess," Tidus mumbled, kicking a water-filled boot against the mucky ground.

"Follow me. If we get a move on, we might make it out of here before sunrise," Cloud said, placing his sword on his back and starting off at a good pace. Tidus jogged a few steps to catch up.

"Cloud?" he asked, watching his friend with wide blue eyes.

"Yeah?" Cloud asked, giving him a sidelong glance. Tidus couldn't help but smile at his water-soaked hair all draped over one eye.

"Your spikes are kinda..." Tidus trailed off. Cloud's eyes widened in horror, and he put one hand to his head to find that his hair was, indeed, as flat as a pancake.

"Ugh," Cloud sighed, as Tidus trotted along beside him. "This is going to be a long night."

* * *

><p>AN: Hey there, readers! Well, you made it through the first chapter, so I guess it wasn't horrible:D This is the first of MANY chapters, actually, but the good news is, this is my third or fourth time editing through this story, so I think it's in pretty good shape. That means that I'll be updating pretty frequently; I'm going to try for a chapter a week.

Those of you who have read my other fics on here, or visited my tumblr blog (clidusshrine . tumblr . com) know that I am a huuuuuge fan of Tidus/Cloud, and I think this story really helps to explain how (I believe) a relationship could develop between them. I realize it's not a very common pairing, but my hope is that this will give the boys some new fans:D

Reviews aren't necessary, but they really help my motivation, and make me feel that my two years-that's right, I've been writing this beast for two years-of work has been worth it. That's it for now. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1, and hope to see you again for Chapter 2!


	2. Waterlogged

**Chapter 2: Waterlogged**

The going was slow as Tidus and Cloud tried to find their way in the dim light. Unfortunately, the soggy route they had chosen contained much deeper water than they had anticipated, and the grassy terrain that Cloud had hoped for was nowhere to be found. Instead, the stones beneath their feet were slippery, and they struggled to keep their footing in the murky water. Their clothes, still wet from the lack of breeze, clung uncomfortably to their skin. To their dismay, even after hours of travel, the sun was still far from rising.

"Careful," Tidus warned, pointing out to Cloud a particularly slippery rock that he had almost slipped on himself.

Cloud nodded a thank you, and avoided the dangerous path. He glanced at the sky for what seemed like the millionth time that night. It was just as dark as it had been when they had first landed in this treacherous canyon.

"Tidus, I think we're going to have to sleep here after all," Cloud spoke up. Tidus halted in his tracks and spun around to face him.

"Huh?" Tidus asked, a look of disappointment appearing on his face. If Cloud was giving up for the night, it could only mean one thing: their way out was much farther away than Cloud had expected.

"There's no end in sight," Cloud admitted, heading for the enormous stones that lined the canyon walls. He brushed a hand over one of the rocks' damp surface before sitting down.

"We're gonna sleep on the rocks?" Tidus asked, watching Cloud from where he stood, still ankle-deep in water.

"We don't have much choice," Cloud replied, removing his sword from his back and setting it upright beside him. He grimaced at the sight of the blade's tip resting in the water like that; he hoped one night wouldn't cause it to rust. Tidus waded his way to Cloud and sat down on one of the rocks next to him.

"What about Firion and Cecil? They're probably worried about us," Tidus said, hanging his head low as he thought back to his friends.

"They shouldn't be worrying. They know we're together," Cloud answered, simply. Tidus' head snapped up at the comment, his world starting to spin a little.

"T-together?" he asked, uncertainly. Cloud stared at him, looking confused.

"Yeah. The two of us off on our own? I chased after you, remember?"

"Oh!" Tidus replied, playfully slapping himself on the head. "Duh. _That _kind of together," he added, with a chuckle. Cloud looked away, and Tidus took a moment to swallow his embarrassment. It wasn't the first time he'd been caught thinking about a relationship with Cloud, and he doubted it would be the last.

Tidus took a deep breath, and spoke up again.

"They might not know if we met up or not, though. It took you a few minutes to find me, after all," Tidus added, managing to get his thoughts back on track.

"That's true," Cloud replied, tilting his head so he could glance once more at the sky above. "I'm sure they're fine, though. They shouldn't worry too much." Tidus saw Cloud shiver out of the corner of his eye. Cautiously, Tidus turned his head to get a better look at his companion.

"You're frozen," Tidus spoke up, observing the goosebumps covering Cloud's arms.

Before Cloud realized what he was doing, Tidus had an arm around his shoulders, and his hand began to rub gently at his skin. Cloud's arm was cold beneath Tidus' palm, but Tidus hardly had any time to warm him as Cloud shrunk away from his touch. Tidus pulled away, too, letting his arm fall back down to his side. He gave Cloud a timid glance, worried he'd gone too far, that Cloud hadn't liked the contact. Cloud shook his head.

"Sorry. I'm just tired," he mumbled.

"That's okay," Tidus replied. "It's been a long day."

Tidus looked down at the rock he was sitting on, and patted it, as if he were fluffing a pillow. He proceeded to lie down, sprawling himself over several of the misshapen stones, then fidgeted until he became satisfied with the smallest amount of discomfort he could achieve. Cloud soon followed his example and lay down, trying his best to get his body in a position comfortable enough to sleep in.

"It's not the best, is it?" Tidus joked.

"I doubt we'll find much better," came Cloud's reply, which was accompanied by another shiver. Tidus could feel Cloud's shoulder tremble against his foot.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he asked, bringing his head up high enough to see Cloud lying on the rocks further down.

"I'm sure," Cloud promised him. Tidus settled for that answer, but he would make sure to check on him throughout the night, just in case.

* * *

><p>Cloud awoke to the bright sun flickering against his closed eyelids, the orange glow so harsh that he didn't have to open his eyes to see it. He sat up and felt his back protesting from a bad night's sleep on his bed of rubble. He shook his head and put a hand to his hair, relieved to find it had returned to its usual spiky state; at the very least, it meant no more teasing from Tidus.<p>

Cloud glanced at his comrade, still a-snooze on his pile of rocks. The boy looked so peaceful—albeit, a little silly—with one hand draped over his forehead, his body sprawled out over his makeshift bed. Cloud felt a little sorry for having to wake him—it was obvious he was still enjoying his sleep—but he didn't have much choice. He wanted to get moving again while they still had lots of daylight for travelling.

Cloud got up from the rocks—his boots immediately becoming soaked once again as he stepped down—and slung his sword over his back before proceeding toward his companion. He placed a hand on Tidus' shoulder and shook him gently.

"Tidus," he said, softly. He watched Tidus' brows twitch and furrow a little; he seemed reluctant to break out of his slumber.

"Tidus," Cloud repeated. With another gentle shake, he was able to get Tidus to open his eyes, though it lasted only a moment. Tidus smiled when he saw Cloud's face, then closed his eyes and let out a loud yawn.

"Five more minutes?"

"Only if you want to get left behind," Cloud replied.

"Aw, you're no fun," Tidus responded with a sleepy chuckle, forcing himself to sit up. He let out a small groan and ruefully rubbed his backside.

"Rocks are not so comfy, are they?"

"Not so much," Cloud answered, with a shake of his head. Tidus yawned once more and stood up, before collecting his sword and tying it at his side. He glanced down at his feet, the water coming up to his ankles once again.

"Seems like we just got dry," he sighed.

"Not much we can do about it," Cloud said, moving past him. "But the sooner we find a way out of here, the better."

"Yeah, I know. How long do you think that'll take?" Tidus asked, following after his friend. The water sloshed inside his boots, and he tried not to cringe.

"Don't know," Cloud replied with a shrug.

"Do you think the guys will have a meal ready for us when we get back?" Tidus asked, glancing up at the canyon surrounding him as he walked. Cloud suddenly halted, his hands jolting out in front of him in a defensive stance. He stayed perfectly still and listened. He was sure he'd heard something.

"Like, maybe some fish or something," Tidus continued, as he walked straight into Cloud's back, and bounced off of him.

"Whoa. Why'd you stop?" he asked, rubbing his head, and feeling rather silly for having been so oblivious to Cloud's actions. Cloud didn't answer, but Tidus clued in when he realized Cloud was on the alert. Several long seconds passed, and Cloud let down his guard, deciding he must have been wrong.

"I thought I heard something," he said, staring ahead. Tidus took a couple of strides forward to stand beside him.

"I don't _see_ anything," Tidus replied.

"Guess I was wrong," Cloud frowned, reluctantly placing the Buster Sword on his back once again. "Sorry, you were saying?"

"Uh, I don't remember," Tidus chuckled. "It probably wasn't important anyway." Cloud nodded, and continued to trudge through the water with his companion at his heels. Tidus released a sigh.

"So, on a scale from one to ten, how hard do you think it's gonna be to find a way out of here?" he asked.

"I'd rather not guess," Cloud answered, monotonously. Tidus shrugged. He was used to Cloud not playing along with his games.

"Well, judging by how long we've been walking with no luck, I'm gonna say at least a five." Tidus' words were cut short when Cloud's gaze shot upward.

"Tidus, look out!" he shouted, drawing his sword and turning toward the right wall of the canyon.

"Huh?" Tidus blurted out, brows raised. Then he saw it: a manikin climbing its way down the rocky wall.

"Oh, great," he groaned, readying his own blade, eyes locked on the enemy. Cloud closed his eyes, and held a fist out in front of him, quickly summoning a fire spell. The manikin screeched, and plopped down into the water as the attack connected with it. Now, the men could clearly make out the manikin's form: the creature was a shimmering representation of their companion Terra.

"Just wait. Don't attack until I say so," Cloud warned, not wanting to move forward due to the slippery footing. He waited instead for the enemy to approach, hoping to eliminate the risk of falling.

"Right," Tidus agreed, holding a firm stance. That didn't last long, however, when Tidus heard another sound from behind him. He quickly turned to see an Ultimecia manikin approaching from the left wall.

"Um, Cloud? We may have a problem," he said, taking a step backward. Cloud didn't reply. He was too preoccupied with the Terra manikin that was closing in on him.

"Whoa!" Tidus shouted, as the Ultimecia manikin threw a bolt of lightning magic his way. He ducked just in time, the blow just narrowly missing him. The creature didn't hesitate in following that spell with several more, and before Cloud could do anything to stop him, Tidus had charged off into combat. Cloud cursed under his breath, and began casting magic at his own attacker, knowing they wouldn't stand a chance if they both risked the wet rocks underfoot.

The sounds of battle were loud as they echoed throughout the canyon, and Cloud hoped they wouldn't attract more danger. He forced that worry to the back of his mind, and released one final spell. That was all it took for the Terra manikin to shriek and shatter, disappearing before Cloud's eyes.

Cloud whipped around, his gaze moving to watch Tidus slash away at the manikin of Ultimecia.

"Remember to watch your footing," Cloud reminded his companion.

"Ow!" Tidus yelled, as the enemy's ice spell came crashing down on him. He fell to one knee, and Cloud cautiously took a few steps forward through the water. He was near enough now for his own sword to be of use.

Cloud swung at the manikin, but was thrown off balance as another spell bounced off his blade. He stumbled backward, his foot slipping off the rock it had been on. He somehow managed to remain standing, but by the time he had regained his balance, the Ultimecia manikin had summoned two crystalline blades that hovered hauntingly above her head. Tidus was clambering to his feet when the manikin sent those blades flying.

Cloud ducked, successfully avoiding the attack. Once he was sure the danger had passed, he stood and opened his mouth to warn his companion, but he was too late. The blade headed for Tidus, spinning and spiraling rapidly as it moved. Cloud's breath caught in his throat as the weapon hit Tidus in the chest. The Ex-SOLDIER didn't exhale until he confirmed Tidus had merely been hit with the hilt of the blade. Still, the force of the impact threw Tidus backwards into the water, causing his head to collide with the rocks below.

"Tidus?" Cloud called out, but his companion didn't move. Tidus lay limp, eyes closed as the shallow water bubbled over his body. Quickly, Cloud summoned all the strength he could to finish off the manikin on his own.

Tidus could feel the water around him, and knew he was just barely managing to keep his face above the surface. He could feel the pain pulsing through his head. He blinked a few times through heavy lids, the sounds of battle growing fainter as he felt himself being tugged into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"Tidus? Tidus, are you with me?" Cloud's voice was hazy in Tidus' mind, but Tidus managed to follow that voice and open his eyes.<p>

He saw a look of relief wash over Cloud's blurry face, and he blinked a few times in hopes that that face would come into focus. He felt Cloud's hand under his neck, cradling it. He could sense the water running over his skin again.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked.

"What happened?" Tidus frowned, raising a shaky hand to his forehead.

"That manikin hit you with its blade, remember?"

"Oh, right," Tidus nodded, letting his hand fall back down into the water when he realized he was too weak to hold it up. Had he not been so out of it, he would have been thrilled to have Cloud kneeling here with him, holding him like he was. Right now, it hardly even registered in his brain.

His eyes fell closed again, and Cloud's brows twitched with worry.

"Tidus, you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, but my head feels kinda funny," Tidus admitted.

"I'm not surprised. Looked like you hit the rocks pretty hard."

Tidus released a shaky breath, his eyes still closed and his head lolling to the side, toward Cloud's body.

"Tidus?" Cloud asked again.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Tidus assured him, but his pale face and closed lids were not convincing.

Cloud reached a hand into his pocket, hoping he hadn't left _all_ of his belongings back with Firion and Cecil. When his first pocket was confirmed empty, he checked the other, and was relieved to find the emergency supplies he'd been searching for.

"Here," Cloud said, bringing a blue potion bottle to Tidus' lips. "Drink this. It might help."

He propped Tidus up a little higher, and helped him consume a swig of the medicine. Tidus remained still for another long moment as Cloud continued to gaze down at him.

"Any better?" Cloud asked, sounding hopeful.

"A little," Tidus nodded, the pounding in his head lessening slightly.

He forced his eyes open, and for the first time, his brain realized how significant this moment was. Tidus felt his heart leap into his throat, and he swallowed in hopes of sending it back down as he stared up at Cloud's gentle expression. Those vibrant blue eyes were full of concern, and Tidus couldn't help but feel a little pleased that that concern was for him, but he knew better than to let himself stare. He knew if he did, he would get lost in a heartbeat.

"Actually, I'm okay now," Tidus said, quickly, pushing himself to sit up on his own. Cloud leaned back a bit to give him some space, but kept his arm out behind Tidus' back, just in case he collapsed again.

"Are you sure?" Cloud asked.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine," Tidus nodded, a little dizzy as he hastily got up from the ground. He brushed himself off to distract himself, but it was a useless effort as most of the water droplets still clung to his clothes.

"Okay," Cloud said, slowly, still looking hesitant. "Just let me know if it starts hurting again."

Cloud stuffed what was left of the potion back into his pocket, keeping a watchful eye on his injured companion as he did so. Tidus let out a shaky sigh as he tried to steady his trembling legs and pounding heart; Cloud had been having that effect on him a lot lately. He looked around until he found the direction in which they'd been heading before the manikins had attacked, and after a moment, he felt Cloud at his side.

"We should get moving," the elder blond spoke up. "Who knows when we'll make it out of this canyon."

"Cloud? Tidus?" called a voice from above.

Tidus met Cloud's wary gaze for a moment before they turned their attention to the ground above. Peeking over the top of the canyon were two familiar faces who were quite a welcome sight to the weary travelers. Tidus put a hand above his brow to block the sun and give himself a better view.

"Zidane! Bartz! Great timing!" Tidus shouted, his lips curving into an unrestrained smile.

"What are you doing down _there_?" Zidane asked.

"Let's just say it wasn't planned," Tidus answered, inducing a chuckle from Bartz.

"Any ideas on how to get out of here?" Cloud called up, his tone far more serious than those of his companions—not that his friends expected any different.

"I take it you've tried walking?" Bartz asked.

"Walked for hours. Didn't seem to do any good," Cloud replied.

"Well, what goes down must come up," Bartz said, with a smile, turning to dig in his bag.

"Huh? That's not how the saying goes," Zidane frowned.

"It is _today_," Bartz grinned as he pulled a rope out of his bag. He lay it out on the ground and stretched it out as far as it would go. He shook his head when he determined it wouldn't do.

"Zidane, do you still have any?" Zidane glanced behind him, and recognized what Bartz was doing.

"Oh, I'll check," he nodded, rushing to his own bag of supplies and rummaging through it.

"What are you guys doin'?" Tidus called out. There was no response for several moments, nor was there any sign of the two boys up above. Cloud and Tidus exchanged glances once again, beginning to worry their companions would be of no help to them after all.

"Try this," Zidane shouted.

Tidus and Cloud watched as a rope—or rather, a few ropes tied together in places—was lowered down to them. It hung against the canyon wall, swaying slightly side to side as it awaited its first courageous passenger.

"It's worth a shot, right?" Tidus asked, casting another glance at Cloud.

"I guess so," Cloud replied, as he followed Tidus over to their potential escape route. "Are you sure you feel up to climbing?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Tidus assured him, flashing another smile.

Tidus was the first to test the rope. He tugged on it a few times, making sure it was secure.

"What did you guys tie this to, anyway?" he asked, sounding a little uneasy.

"A tree," Zidane answered, glancing at the tall oak a few feet behind him.

"Don't worry. It won't budge an inch," Bartz promised.

Tidus, with his hands gripped tightly around the rope, carefully began climbing onto the rocks protruding out of the water. Then, he started to walk up the canyon wall. Cloud's heart pounded as he watched. He wasn't sure what scared him more: the possibility of Tidus falling, or having to make the climb himself.

"That's good. Keep coming," Bartz encouraged.

"Yeah. You're almost... Well, no, you're not even close, but keep trying anyway," Zidane chimed in.

"You're a real help, Zidane," Tidus snarled, trying not to look down. Heights didn't normally bother him, but the jagged rocks below were certainly making him nervous now.

Tidus took his time, though all he wanted was to get to the top as fast as he could. Step by step, he continued to climb, keeping his fingers locked tightly around the rope.

"Easy does it," Cloud said, gently.

"Yep, I— Ahh!" Tidus yelled as his foot slipped, sending several pieces of rocks tumbling down into the water. Everyone gasped. Cloud felt like his heart might have fallen into his stomach. He watched in terror as Tidus attempted to get his footing again.

"Come on, Tidus!" Zidane encouraged, his heart pounding as Tidus dangled on the rope. Finally, Tidus managed to hook his foot on a piece of rock, and from there was able to climb up the rest of the way.

"You scared us, man," the genome said, swishing his tail as he and Bartz pulled Tidus up onto solid land. Tidus collapsed onto his back, limbs outstretched, breathing hard and fast.

"Sorry," Tidus grumbled. "Next time, I'll try not disturb any rocks, for your sake."

"You're next, Cloud," Bartz called down, peeking over the edge of the canyon. He threw the rope down once more and Cloud eyed it warily before taking hold of it.

"A word of advice, Cloud. Watch your footing," Tidus said, half jokingly, peering over the edge of the canyon.

Cloud swallowed his fears and started up the wall, mimicking Tidus' movements in hopes that it would get him, too, safely up the wall. Perhaps it was to be expected that Tidus would have an easier time tackling the wall than Cloud would; Tidus was an athlete after all. Of course, Cloud's tangled nerves weren't helping, nor was the massive Buster sword dangling from his back.

Cloud could hear his friends encouraging him, but he tried to block them out and concentrate instead on his steps. He watched his feet carefully and made a strong effort to avoid looking down. Before he realized how far he'd come, he felt arms pulling him up the rest of the way. Cloud collapsed on the land and lay with his face in the grass for a moment, making sure he didn't feel queasy from the climb before he stood up. When he finally began to push himself up off the ground, he felt an arm helping him.

"I've gotcha." There was Tidus at his side again.

Cloud once again thought back to what Firion had said. The joking around, the physical contact... Maybe they _were_ getting closer. It was kind of nice knowing someone had his back, but Cloud wouldn't let himself get attached; it never seemed to end well when he did.

"Thinkin' 'bout something?" Tidus asked, cocking his head to the side, innocently, as he looked Cloud in the eye. Cloud rapidly shook his head, realizing he had been in a daze.

"Just a little dizzy," he said, and it wasn't a complete lie, either.

"Well, let's get somewhere safe so you can rest a little," Tidus replied, with a smile, his arm still linked with Cloud's to support him. The lingering contact was making Cloud feel a little uncomfortable.

"I'm fine. We should keep moving. Don't want to burn daylight," Cloud said. He tugged a little to break free of Tidus' grasp, wanting to further prove the point that he didn't need rest. Tidus tried not to be offended, but it wasn't easy.

"You guys, your feet are soaked. We need to get you both warm and dry," Bartz said, concern in his grey eyes.

"Bartz is right. We should find a spot to settle down for a bit. Get a fire going," Zidane added, his tail waving a little as he spoke.

"Cloud?" Bartz asked, when Tidus remained surprisingly silent. Cloud glanced down at his wet boots. His feet would certainly be thankful for the warm fire.

"Alright," Cloud eventually replied. "But after that, we get a move on."

"No problem, boss," Zidane smirked, as he and Bartz led them away from the canyon.

Cloud glanced at Tidus as they walked, and his attention was caught by the young man's abnormal posture. Tidus' body had become stiff, his shoulders were slouched, and the smile was gone from his cheery face. Cloud normally didn't question such things, but such a solemn appearance was out of character for Tidus. Why the boy's smile had disappeared, Cloud couldn't help but wonder.

* * *

><p>AN: End of Chapter 2! Hey, readers! Hope you're enjoying the story so far. If you wanna leave a review, feel free:) Just no flames, please. Don't forget to check back in a week's time for a new chapter:D I should also mention that this story is rated M for later chapters (MUCH later, haha). And there will also be some mention of previous Cloud/Zack. If that all floats your boat, please, stick around for more! Tidus and Cloud will love you for it:D


	3. Distracted

**Chapter 3: Distracted**

The group walked for half an hour or more before they settled on a place to rest. By this time, Tidus' and Cloud's wet feet had become partially dry, but once they had a fire going, they had no complaints about drying off the rest of the way. Despite his focus on warming himself up, Cloud still took notice of Tidus' unusual presence; there was still a certain tautness in his shoulders that looked like the result of some mental tension. Knowing it was rare for the young man to be so uptight, Cloud decided to sit down beside him while Bartz and Zidane were off collecting water.

Normally, Cloud wasn't the type to involve himself with someone else's problems, but with the others gone and Tidus looking as out of sorts as he did, Cloud felt obligated to make an exception. After all, it didn't seem right to ignore him when he was obviously suffering.

"You look pretty tense," Cloud said, causing Tidus to momentarily look up from the fire.

"I guess climbing up a canyon wall will do that to you," he answered, casually, but Cloud thought he sounded a little off; the usual chipper tone was missing from his voice.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" Cloud asked, with a slight frown.

"Nah. I'm fine."

"And your head feels okay? From when you fell?"

"Yeah, it's good," Tidus replied, grateful—and a little surprised—that Cloud sounded worried about him. Cloud nodded, and turned his gaze to the fire. Tidus frowned a little, wishing he hadn't let their conversation end so easily. Quickly, he sucked in a breath and spoke up again.

"Actually, I guess I'm a little shaken up about that manikin that knocked me out earlier," he lied, just for a chance to continue talking to his aloof companion.

"A lot can happen in battle. It's easy to feel concerned after an attack like that," Cloud replied, his eyes on the fire in front of him.

"Guess I messed up, huh?" Tidus chuckled, weakly.

"Just remember to keep a careful eye out for your surroundings, and you'll do fine."

"Right. I'll try and remember that," Tidus said, managing a smile. He felt a little better now that he'd gotten a few more words out of Cloud—he would consider it a small victory for now—and he tried his best to put aside the remains of his frustration that had refused to let go throughout the afternoon.

"Hey, guys!" Zidane called out. Tidus and Cloud turned to see their friends emerging from a nearby opening in the trees, both of them carrying small pails of water.

"We found a stream a little ways off," Zidane told them, setting his bucket down and taking a seat on the ground beside Tidus.

"It doesn't look like the best drinking water, but we can probably use it to wash up," Bartz explained.

"Sounds good," Cloud said.

"So, you guys don't have any gear at all, do you?" Zidane asked.

"No, just our weapons. The rest of our gear is with Firion and Cecil," Cloud answered.

"We might run into a moogle shop or something along the way. Maybe you can stock up on some other supplies," Bartz suggested.

"We might have to if we can't find our own. I'm not even sure where we were before we ended up in that canyon," Cloud admitted. Bartz and Zidane gave him a sympathetic look. Cloud's gaze darted to Tidus, who was staring blankly into the fire.

"Well, you're welcome to travel with us for the time being," Zidane offered.

"Under the circumstances, we may have to. Tidus?" Cloud asked, bringing the warrior out of his trance.

"Huh?" Tidus asked, perking his head up.

"Did you hear us?" Cloud asked, frowning slightly.

"'Course. Every word," Tidus smiled. "I'm gonna go freshen up, okay?"

With that, he got up from the ground and brushed himself off before heading for the trees. The others watched him as he walked out of sight. Cloud glanced at the pails of water that Bartz and Zidane had brought back. Strange. Had Tidus not realized he could have just washed up here?

"Is it just me, or is that guy getting weirder every time I see him?" Zidane asked, pointing his thumb in Tidus' direction.

"_You_ must be rubbing off on him," Bartz teased, as he sat down beside his friend.

"Oh, shut up!" Zidane yelled, elbowing Bartz hard in the side. Cloud ignored them as they erupted into a fit of laughter, and stared at the spot where Tidus had disappeared, a shred of concern surfacing in his already weary mind.

* * *

><p>Tidus had no trouble finding the stream that Bartz and Zidane had mentioned. He'd headed straight from where they had set up their fire, and eventually his ears had led the way. Now, he was crouched next to the stream, the sounds of its soft bubbling soothing his busy brain. Tidus' gloves lay on the ground beside him while his bare hands rested in the cool water. He closed his eyes, and listened to the sounds of nature around him, trying hard let go of the thoughts swimming around in his head, but he couldn't. It wasn't the manikin attack that was bothering him, though he'd managed to lie about it; it was Cloud, and Cloud didn't seem to stray very far from his mind these days.<p>

Even now, as Tidus tried to push Cloud out of his mind, the man somehow managed to fight his way back in even harder. Tidus sighed, and splashed some water on his face, hoping it would liven him up, and distract him for the time being. The past few weeks had been tough. Tidus had finally come to understand and accept the feelings that he had been trying so hard to sort out for months now, and it was becoming harder and harder to stop himself from acting on them. He was falling for Cloud, and it was a feeling that was too familiar to be mistaken for anything else.

Tidus remembered what it had felt like falling for Yuna: how his heart used to flutter when he was near her, how he longed to be next to her, how excited he would get when she laughed, or spoke, or smiled. The same was true of Cloud—though Cloud's smiles and laughter were far more rare—and Tidus found himself taking advantage of any opportunity he could to offer his friendship to Cloud, but Cloud didn't acknowledge Tidus' small kindnesses the way Yuna had. Unlike Yuna, Cloud didn't talk much when Tidus tried to have a conversation with him. Cloud was hesitant to accept a helping hand when someone offered it, whereas Yuna had always welcomed Tidus' aid. Tidus tried his best not to let it bother him, but sometimes he felt like he wasn't making much progress at all. Cloud was still detached—from Tidus, _and_ the rest of their companions.

Cloud made Tidus feel hopeless and determined at the same time. In fact, Cloud made Tidus feel a whole lot of contrasting emotions, and Tidus had grown quite accustomed to them over the past couple of months. Happiness and frustration. Fear and excitement. They were all things that Cloud had made him feel at one time or another, and even though it was hard for Tidus to be around Cloud and not let his feelings be known, it was also exhilarating. It was a test to see how close he could get without having Cloud turn away or realize his true intentions, but it was a test that Tidus didn't take lightly.

Tidus thought back to when it had all started, to when his romantic sentiments for Cloud had first surfaced. They had been sitting around the campfire one night, just the two of them. Firion and Cecil had turned in early, but Tidus and Cloud had decided to stay up a bit longer, hoping to see the first glimpse of sunrise. Tidus couldn't really remember why they had come up with that goal, but he did remember one thing: Cloud's smile.

Tidus had made Cloud Strife smile. Unfortunately, that smile had wiped Tidus' mind of everything leading up to that moment, and he desperately wished he could remember what he'd said or done to spur on that smile. Regardless, it was one of the most spectacular things he had ever seen. He remembered how his heart had leapt into his throat, and how his own smile had grown about a million times bigger. He could recall how genuine it was, not one of those forced smiles Cloud usually gave people. No, this had been sincere, and it had been only for him. Even now, Tidus got goosebumps thinking back to that moment.

At first, Tidus had pushed thoughts of that night aside, thinking it had been a momentary attraction, and that the feeling would pass. 'Attraction' wasn't even a word he really wanted to use, because, at the time, he wasn't even sure that's what it was. After that night, he had gone on his merry way, but every time Cloud glanced at him, or said something to him, Tidus would freeze for a moment, mesmerized by the vulnerable look that he could now, for some reason, detect in Cloud's eyes. Cloud may have been hard on the outside, but he wasn't on the inside. Once Tidus had realized that, he became determined to get closer to him.

Cloud was an enigma, a riddle that Tidus couldn't put aside until he figured it out. He soon discovered that the more time he spent with Cloud, the more he needed to know about him. The desire to learn about Cloud only became deeper, and those moments when Tidus got lost in Cloud's eyes or entranced by his voice became more frequent, and more powerful. Tidus began to realize that this wasn't just an inclination to get to know Cloud. Tidus wanted to be someone Cloud could rely on, someone who could always make him smile. He hoped to become Cloud's confidant, his friend, and as time went on, hopefully even his _more-than-friend, _but one thing always stood in the way: Cloud didn't open up to people easily.

Tidus knew Cloud had caring tendencies; he had seen evidence of Cloud's kindness a hundred times, whether it be aiding an injured companion, or helping out with battle preparations. He knew that Cloud's soft side wasn't something that showed itself often, but Tidus hoped to find what was blocking it from coming out, and kick the crap out of it until it no longer stood in the way. Cloud hid things, things from his past, things that upset him, and Tidus wanted to know them all. More than anything, he wanted to make them go away. He wanted Cloud to _trust_ him, but how could he do that when Cloud kept himself at a distance?

Every time Tidus tried pry answers out of him, Cloud shied away from his questions. Whenever Tidus touched him, it seemed like Cloud pulled away, just like he had at the top of the canyon. Perhaps anyone would have reacted the same way, but it still hurt. Sometimes, Tidus wished he could give up. It would have been easier if he wasn't so damn determined to get Cloud to open up, but those feelings of want and need refused to go away. He was beginning to doubt they would _ever_ go away.

Tidus splashed some water onto his arms, momentarily interrupting his thoughts. He scrubbed at the few dirt spots that had been caked onto his skin at some point during the day, and let out a sigh. He knew he had to let go of his frustration. He was sure Cloud hadn't meant to offend him earlier, and to be fair, Cloud had no idea how much it meant to him just to be that close. Besides, Tidus knew that sooner or later he would find himself falling for Cloud all over again, and all his frustration would seem insignificant as he started anew, trying to gain Cloud's trust and affection.

"Hey," came Cloud's voice, as if on cue. Tidus tried to ignore his suddenly pounding heart and reddening cheeks as he shoved his hands back into the water.

"Hey," he greeted, somehow managing to sound like his usual cheery self. He splashed some water on his face, then rubbed it dry with his sleeve before hopping up from the ground and tugging his gloves back on.

"I wanted to make sure you're alright, so I can get you back to Firion and Cecil in one piece. You... don't seem yourself," Cloud commented, and Tidus had become so finely attuned to Cloud's expressions that he could see the smallest hint of concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine," Tidus replied, giving Cloud a smile. "I'll admit, I was a little scared after that fight, but I'm okay now."

"Good to hear," Cloud nodded, though he kept his watchful eye on the boy as he adjusted his gloves.

"So, it's alright with you if we travel with Bartz and Zidane for a while?" Cloud asked. Tidus looked up at him, his attention now fully on Cloud. His heart felt like it had fallen into the pit of his stomach. Sadly, it looked like their alone time was over.

"Huh? When did we discuss that?" Tidus' brows were furrowed in confusion.

"Back at the campfire. You were _there_."

"Oh."

Silence took over. Tidus rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed that he had been caught not paying attention.

"So, travelling with the others, huh? Y-yeah, that's fine," he said, after a moment's hesitation, though it hurt to do so. Tidus may have been hurt when Cloud pulled away from him earlier, but they'd had their moments down in that canyon. Part of him wanted to beg Cloud not to travel with the others, but he knew he couldn't. His intentions would be too obvious.

"You're sure?" Cloud asked.

"Of course. Zidane and Bartz are our friends, aren't they?" Tidus gave Cloud a half-smile, then walked briskly past him, heading once again in the direction of the campfire. He could hear Cloud following behind him, but he didn't dare say another word. He had to calm down before he said something he would regret. His advances, no matter how subtle, would have to wait.

* * *

><p>After putting out the fire and hiding the evidence of their camp-out location, the group moved forward again, proceeding mostly in silence. Tidus was still abnormally quiet as he took up his position at the rear. Cloud led the way, and Bartz and Zidane walked side-by-side in the middle. Cloud wasn't the only one who had noticed Tidus' solemn disposition; Zidane was also surprised by the man's lack of enthusiasm. Normally, Tidus was the one still shining even when the sun wasn't.<p>

After too many hours of dealing with a quiet Tidus, Zidane slowed his pace and fell in step with his friend at the back of the line. Tidus' eyes darted up only for a moment to acknowledge Zidane, then they fell to the ground where they had been a minute prior. Zidane gave a sigh and rested his hands behind his head as he walked.

"Alright. Enough with the silence. What's eatin' ya?" he asked.

"Nothing," Tidus answered, almost immediately.

"Don't be like that. You know I can see right through you."

Tidus knew his friend was right. He and Zidane had hit it off as soon as they'd met each other. For the longest time, wherever one would go, the other would follow. They shared a similar happy-go-lucky personality, they laughed at the same stupid jokes, and they both had a way of turning people's frowns upside down.

"Zidane," Tidus finally said, keeping his eyes on the road ahead as he continued to walk behind the others. He knew Zidane would keep pestering him if he didn't speak up.

"Yeah?" Zidane asked.

"_You're_ nosy..." Tidus paused, as if there was more he wanted to say. Zidane gave a coy smile, looking awfully proud of that little fact.

"Come to me for info, did you?" Zidane asked, grinning. Tidus hesitated, not sure if he wanted to spill the beans. He knew for a fact that Zidane wasn't the best at keeping secrets. Tidus drew in a long breath, and chose his words carefully before opening his mouth.

"What do you know about Cloud?" Tidus asked.

"Cloud? Not a whole lot. _You've_ been travelling with him for longer than I have," Zidane reminded him. Tidus looked up ahead. Bartz was alongside Cloud now, practically talking his ear off. Cloud looked uninterested—that was the standard result of Cloud's conversations with people he didn't really know—but perhaps Bartz just wasn't talking about the right things. Maybe Bartz couldn't make Cloud smile like Tidus could.

"I know," Tidus replied, regaining his focus. "I just thought you might have the inside scoop."

"Well," Zidane started. "I talked to Tifa about him, but she didn't tell me a lot. Rough childhood, lost his father as a kid, has sort of a dark past. I don't know much beyond that," Zidane admitted, wishing his investigation skills had proven more useful. Usually, he was an information guru.

"Why do you ask?"

"I don't know," Tidus said, lowering his voice. "He's just so distant."

"Yeah? And?" Zidane asked, brows raised.

"I wish I could help him get over... whatever it is that makes him so sad," Tidus tried to explain. There was a detectable solemness in his voice, and a narrow frown appeared on Zidane's face as he tried to understand why his friend was so perturbed. Zidane analyzed Tidus for a moment or two, before he gave up trying to find an answer. Tidus was an oddball. If he wanted to help the cold and distant Cloud, why question it?

"Maybe he's havin' a bad hair day," Zidane teased. "You know, every day for the past four months."

"Oh, come on," Tidus groaned, sounding a bit irritated. "You know it's something deeper than that."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, I doubt he's gonna tell you about it," Zidane sighed. "If he wanted to talk about his problems, he's got plenty of friends here who would listen. He just chooses not to take advantage."

"Hey, you make him sound like a bad guy," Tidus said, nudging Zidane in the arm. "Maybe he doesn't_ know_ we would listen. Ever think of that?"

"No," Zidane said, quietly, after a long pause. "I don't know why you're so concerned about him anyway," he continued, with a shrug.

"He's our _friend_," Tidus reminded him. "Friends help each other."

"I guess," Zidane rolled his eyes.

The two grew quiet, Tidus deep in thought, and Zidane shrugging off his friend's odd behaviour. Tidus watched Cloud up ahead; he was still ignoring Bartz's conversation which had turned into something about chocobos. Tidus thought hard. What was Bartz doing wrong? What did Cloud _like_ to talk about? Tidus spoke up again when his brain started to hurt from all the thinking.

"So, if I were gonna get Cloud to talk, where would I start?" Tidus asked, putting a hand to his chin, pondering. Zidane rolled his eyes again, and heaved a sigh.

"Oh, for the love of— If you wanna say something, get up there and say something, you weirdo!" Zidane groaned, giving Tidus a gentle whack on the rear, causing Tidus to trip and fall forward a couple of steps.

"Hey!" he yelled, turning around to glare at the boy. Zidane shrugged his shoulders innocently as and Cloud turned to stare at him as well.

"What's going on?" Bartz asked. Tidus tried his best to regain a calm expression as he turned to face the rest of the group.

"I... I just tripped," Tidus lied, rubbing the back of his head as he walked up to meet the others. "Well, let's go, my buddies!" he shouted, grinning as he threw an arm around both Bartz and Cloud.

They both cast him sidelong glances. Cloud was looking at him as if he were crazy, and Bartz was giving him a confused half-smile, but Tidus ignored them, just as he tried to ignore the sudden pounding in his chest. Here was Cloud right beside him. Here he was touching him. He wondered if Cloud was as nervous as he was right then, or if Cloud could hear his heart racing. He wondered if Cloud felt anything for him at all.


	4. Sour

**Chapter 4: Sour**

The sky soon turned from orange to deep violet, and the four warriors began to tire. Zidane and Bartz were taking up the rear now, and Tidus followed a few feet behind Cloud, sluggishly dragging his feet through the short grass. Tidus stopped in his tracks when he heard a sigh emerge from the man ahead.

"We should probably set up camp before it's completely dark," Cloud said, coming to a halt and analyzing the sky.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Tidus agreed. He was kind of thankful that Cloud had finally spoken. They had been silent for a while now, neither one of them quite knowing what to say while the other two men chatted up a storm behind them.

"Where should we set up?" Zidane asked. Cloud glanced around. A small pond lay to their left while more open field lay ahead. Cloud's eyes finally came to rest on a cluster of trees a few metres to their right.

"Maybe over there. It'd give us a bit of shelter," he answered, pointing to their destination.

"'Kay," Bartz joined in.

They followed Cloud over to the trees and set their gear and weapons down on the ground. Zidane let out a noisy yawn and raised his arms above his head. Bartz brushed himself off before taking a seat in the grass.

"Is anyone hungry?" he asked, turning his attention to his bag, which lay beside him.

"You bet, I am!" Tidus replied with excitement as he crouched down beside Bartz, peeking to see what kind of food was hiding in his knapsack.

"Bread?" Bartz offered, unfolding a cloth to reveal a loaf that was almost completely intact.

Though it went unnoticed by Bartz, Cloud saw the small wrinkle of Tidus' nose, indicating his displeasure. A smile quickly replaced that look, however; Tidus didn't want to look ungrateful, but Cloud could certainly understand his frustration. They had eaten enough bread to fill a flock of chocobos back when they had been travelling with Cecil and Firion. Nevertheless, neither Cloud nor Tidus was in a position to complain.

Each of the two men accepted a small portion of bread from Bartz, and began nibbling away at it. It was bland, but it did help to settle their growling stomachs. Bartz looked up from his snack to take in the sight of his tired companions. Tidus and Cloud looked like they'd been through the wringer; they were both a little pale, and their eyes looked like they wanted to droop closed.

"You guys look like you could use a good rest. Why don't you two use mine and Zidane's sleeping bags?"

"No, that's alright, Bartz. We'll be fine on the ground," Cloud replied, shaking his head. Tidus discreetly glanced up from his bread, hoping Cloud might change his mind about that.

"Don't be silly," Zidane said. "We don't mind. We have a tent."

"He's right," Bartz nodded. "It's not like we'd be sleeping on the ground."

Cloud cast a glance to his left to look at Tidus. Tidus gave him a quick nod, his mouth hidden behind his morsel of bread. Cloud turned his gaze back to Bartz once more.

"If you're sure you don't mind," he sighed.

"Not a bit," Bartz assured him.

"So, T?" Zidane spoke up between bites of bread. "Haven't talked to Yuna lately have, ya?"

"Yuna?" Tidus asked, raising a brow. His heart twinged anxiously, the familiar ache of their separation stirring within him. He swallowed hard, but managed an innocent smile.

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"Ran into her a few weeks back, but she was awful quiet. Didn't even mention you. Must've been a rough breakup, huh?" Zidane inquired, sounding a little too chipper.

"C'mon. Do we have to talk about that?" Tidus asked, forcing a weak chuckle.

"Just curious, man. Friends tell," Zidane replied, stuffing some more food into his mouth.

Tidus stared down at his half-eaten piece of bread, and bit his lip. He could feel Zidane's stare boring into him, making him feel ever so guilty for withholding information, and before he could stop himself, he found himself opening his mouth to speak.

"I guess... people change when they're apart for a while."

"How so?" Zidane tested.

"I don't know," Tidus replied, rubbing his arm, uncomfortably. "She acted differently, she dressed differently."

"Dressed differently?" Bartz asked.

Tidus hesitated, not exactly liking that he'd piqued another person's interest in such a personal affair. He was just thankful that Cloud didn't seem to be paying much attention, his eyes on the ground as he ate the remains of his bread.

"Yuna, she, uh... She wore a lot less," Tidus chuckled, timidly.

"Wait!" Zidane spoke up, shooting a hand up into the air to silence him. "So, she strips down, and you like her less? What the hell is wrong with you, T?"

"W-well, you know," Tidus stuttered, cheeks reddening. "The Yuna I knew before was just so soft-spoken, so innocent. I never pictured her turning into..." He trailed off, not knowing how to explain his feelings.

He rubbed his arm a little harder, feeling ashamed. Maybe he _was_ crazy for losing interest in Yuna, but he'd known from the moment he'd returned to Spira after his two years' sleep that she was different, that _things between them_ were different. Ever since then, Tidus had felt the distance between them growing wider and wider, to the point where he had to break things off. And once he'd developed feelings for Cloud, there was no turning back.

"Never mind," Tidus spoke up, shaking his head, and pushing forth a strained smile. "Guess... I was stupid for breaking up with her, huh? I don't know what I was thinking."

Zidane got to his feet and stretched his arms above his head, obviously growing weary of Tidus' ceaseless babbling. He gave a smirk.

"Well, unlike you, I'm easy to please if they dress to tease," Zidane grinned. He walked over to give Tidus a hard pat on the back before proceeding toward their pile of gear. He grabbed his and Bartz's tent from the assortment of bags, and headed a few feet away from the group to begin setting it up.

Tidus' gaze wandered to each of his remaining companions, warily. He opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. It took a full six attempts before he was able to form a sentence.

"That wasn't the only reason why Yuna and I—" Tidus started, but Bartz was quick to speak up.

"We know that, but do you think _he_ cares?" Bartz asked, nodding his head in Zidane's direction. He gave Tidus a gentle smile, and rose to his feet. Tidus watched as he strolled over to help Zidane with the tent, then his gaze fell toward the ground.

Tidus' hands entwined themselves, his fingers nervously knotted together. Tidus bit his lip again to try and hide the hurt. He hadn't expected Zidane to understand; he wondered why he'd agreed to divulge in the first place.

Tidus was startled when a gentle hand fell upon his shoulder. He turned his head slightly to see the Ex-SOLDIER behind him. He was surprised by Cloud's display of comfort, enough so that it distracted him from his embarrassment.

"Don't let what Zidane said bother you. People change. They grow apart. It happens all the time," Cloud told him, gently. Tidus was speechless; he wished his mouth would form a thank you, but his brain could only focus on Cloud's words.

Before Tidus could grow used to the feel of Cloud's touch, the man lifted his hand, and turned toward the supplies pile. Cloud gathered his friends' sleeping bags and got to work setting up for the night, while Tidus simply sat and watched. Tidus' shock lasted only a second or two, then a soft smile appeared on his face as his shoulder continued to give off a perpetual warmth.

* * *

><p>Nightfall quickly arrived, and Tidus and Cloud said their good-nights to their friends as fast as they could, hoping to get in as many hours of sleep as possible. Tidus lay down and wriggled his way into the sleeping bag he'd borrowed from Zidane. He breathed in deeply, and stole a glance in Cloud's direction, just so he could memorize this moment. He thought back to the kind words that Cloud had spoken to him earlier, and yearned to close the distance between them. If he were just a few inches closer, he probably would have been able to rest his head on Cloud's shoulder.<p>

"You comfortable?" Cloud asked, bringing Tidus out of his embarrassing thoughts.

"Yeah, fine," he replied, with a smile. His mind flickered back to the night before, down in the cold, wet canyon. "It sure beats last night's bed of rocks."

"That, it does," Cloud agreed, forcing a light chuckle. Tidus loved the sound of it, even though it _was_ strained.

"I kinda like sleeping under the stars anyway," Tidus smiled, placing his hands behind his head as he stared up at the sky above.

Memories threatened to fill Cloud's mind. Cloud wanted to smile, but part of what made him want to smile also made him hurt. He didn't want to think about the past. It was too painful.

He shoved those memories as far away as they would go, and stared up at the sky along with his companion. He focused, trying hard to see the beauty that Tidus saw—the beauty _he_ used to see.

The dark sky was sprinkled with glimmering white dots, each giving off a different amount of light. Clearly, some burned brighter than others, but each held an element of beauty that Cloud couldn't help but admire.

"Sleeping outdoors _is _sort of nice, isn't it?" Cloud eventually said.

"Yeah, once you get used to all the bugs and stuff," Tidus chuckled. Cloud hummed in agreement.

They lay there for several minutes, staring at the tiny lights above before Cloud felt his eyelids start to fall closed again. He yawned and rolled onto his side.

"Goodnight, Tidus," he said, closing his eyes. Tidus glanced over at him, feeling soothed by how relaxed Cloud looked in that moment.

"Goodnight, Cloud," he answered, a smile tugging once again at the corners of his mouth.

Tidus tried to settle, but within seconds, he felt his stomach growling. He put a hand over it, trying to mute the sound a little, but it just grumbled even more loudly a minute later. Tidus heard Cloud stifle an amused noise.

"You hungry?" Cloud asked.

"Unfortunately, yeah," Tidus sighed, removing his hand from his stomach. Instead, he flopped it over his forehead. "Guess I shouldn't have tossed the rest of my supper."

"You threw it out, huh? A little tired of bread?" Cloud asked.

"_Little_ would be an understatement," Tidus grinned.

"To be honest, I'm hungry, too," Cloud admitted. "All we have is Bartz's bread, though."

Tidus' hand flew back to his stomach, his face twisting into a look of disgust.

"And suddenly, I'm not hungry anymore," he mumbled. Cloud looked slightly amused, though it lasted only a moment.

"If you want, I can try fishing over there," Cloud suggested, nodding his head toward the pond on the left. Tidus lifted his head off the ground to glance at the pool of water. It was perfectly still, not a ripple to be seen, but Tidus hoped there might be more activity underneath the surface.

"Would you mind?" he asked, timidly.

"Not at all," Cloud assured him, sitting up and unzipping his sleeping bag. "Like I said, I'm hungry, too."

* * *

><p>"Mm, good fish," Tidus smiled, leaning back on his elbows as he sat in front of the fire. The flames crackled as they rose into the air, but the sound wasn't nearly loud enough to wake Zidane and Bartz, something for which Tidus was grateful; he would never complain about having alone time with Cloud. In fact, the past hour or so had been incredible—the two of them trying to catch fish with nothing but their hands, weapons, and eventually a couple of makeshift spears. He was glad Zidane and Bartz had slept through the splashing water, Cloud's occasional curse word, and Tidus' nearly constant laughter.<p>

"I can't tell you how happy I am to have eaten something besides bread!" Tidus beamed. Cloud felt his lips form an almost-smile.

"I'm glad you liked it. I wasn't quite sure how it would turn out since I didn't have the proper seasonings. I had to make due with what I could find nearby," Cloud said.

He shyly averted his gaze when he saw the look of gentle surprise Tidus was giving him. His embarrassment didn't go unnoticed by Tidus; in fact, Tidus thought it was quite adorable.

"You know a lot about cooking?" Tidus asked, a small, curious smile on his face.

"Not really," Cloud said, shaking his head. "My mom taught me some stuff, but... that was quite a while ago now."

"Well, I guess it paid off. That was delicious," Tidus grinned, sincerely.

"Thanks," Cloud replied.

Tidus settled into a peaceful silence, but Cloud felt abnormally warm. He couldn't deny that that little compliment had gone a long way. He knew it was simple, but it had touched something inside him, something he hadn't felt in a long time: he felt appreciated.

Tidus cast quick glances Cloud's way, hoping he wouldn't notice, but Cloud seemed to be lost in thought. Tidus hid a smile. It was hard not to smile when all he could think of was their time together. His brain replayed memories in his head, each one containing a special moment with Cloud. Eventually, his mind reached one of their last campfires alone together, the one where the little spark had started.

That little spark—that's all it took. A little flicker of light that told Tidus he felt something for this other man. Tidus could only hope that his spark would take hold of Cloud, too. He knew from experience that even tiny sparks had a tendency to grow.

* * *

><p>Morning came much too early for everyone—especially Cloud. He awoke with a lump in his throat, and though he tried to put aside thoughts of his horrible night's sleep, it was difficult. He turned his head toward the boy beside him, envious of Tidus' ability to sleep soundly. Tidus' soft snores had accompanied Cloud as he'd drifted in and out of nightmares, something for which Cloud was thankful; the sounds of the real world had kept that ounce of distance between him and his vivid dreams, protecting his fragile emotions, even if only a little bit.<p>

Despite the warriors' desires for more rest, they quickly got up, packed up their gear, and headed out once again, hoping that the day ahead might bring them closer to Firion and Cecil, or even more importantly, their crystals. Tidus stared ahead at Cloud and Bartz as he walked, and Zidane strolled lazily at his side.

"Feels like I hardly slept," Zidane groaned.

"_You_ feel like you hardly slept?" Tidus asked, incredulously.

"Yeah. What, were you up late or somethin'?" Zidane questioned. Tidus bit back a smile as memories of the night before danced happily in his brain.

"No, no. It's just that _you _didn't spend a couple of days in a soggy old canyon. _I_ should be more tired than you," Tidus grinned, glad that he'd conjured up such a quick explanation.

"Well, I'm sleepy anyway. Hey, Bartz! Will you piggy-back me?" Zidane asked, running up to his friend and jumping onto Bartz's back without awaiting his permission. Bartz let out a surprised yell, which was followed by laughter as he somehow managed to keep himself standing with Zidane securely on his back. Zidane chuckled as Bartz adjusted him.

"Ready?" Bartz asked.

"Ready!" Zidane cheered, throwing a fist into the air. His other arm was wrapped tightly around Bartz's neck.

"Here we go," Bartz grinned, taking off at a run towards Cloud who was once again leading the way. Tidus stopped to watch them, and chuckled as they charged past their unsuspecting leader.

"I'm slipping!" Zidane shouted.

Within seconds, he toppled off sideways and fell to the ground, causing Bartz to tumble along with him. They lay in shock for a moment before they both burst out laughing. Tidus ran ahead to catch up, and joined in the hilarity as he watched the two rolling around in hysterics. He quickly shut up when he heard Cloud sigh beside him.

"I'm going on alone," the man uttered, causing Bartz and Zidane to cease their laughter. Tidus held his breath.

"What? Why?" Zidane asked, quickly pushing himself up off the ground and brushing himself off. Bartz followed his lead.

"It might be best to split up to look for the others. We're all good fighters. Besides, I doubt we're going to find our crystals in the same place," Cloud replied.

"What you mean is we're annoying you, right? Sorry, Cloud. We were just having a bit of fun," Bartz said, hanging his head low.

"Yeah, sorry, Cloud," Zidane said, solemnly. "We'll behave."

"It's not just that," Cloud said, his brain scrolling through possible excuses to rid himself of their company. After such a miserable night of unrest, the rambunctiousness of those two was too much to take.

"Travelling in a large group is time-consuming, and it makes us an easy target for enemies. The rest of you can stick together if you want, but I'm going on alone," Cloud announced.

He dropped the sleeping bag he'd borrowed from Bartz before turning away from the group. The three watched him take off, disappointed and a little confused by his sudden urge to leave. Bartz made a move to follow him, but Zidane put an arm out to stop him.

"We've annoyed him enough," Zidane told his friend, frowning as he glanced in Tidus' direction.

"Is it just me, or is he especially moody this morning?" Bartz asked, watching the blond who had gone off ahead.

"It's not just you," Tidus replied. He was glad someone else had noticed. His Cloud-radar was off the charts, after all, and couldn't be trusted.

"Why don't _you_ go with him, T?" Zidane asked, his eyes darting back to the figure in the distance. When Tidus didn't move, Zidane gave him a nudge with his elbow. Tidus gave him a worried glance, but Zidane winked at him, letting him know that this was his chance to talk to Cloud, though Zidane still couldn't fathom his reason why.

Tidus' heart pounded against his chest as he debated whether or not he should be the one to follow. Had Cloud wanted to escape the fun-loving Zidane and Bartz, or had he wanted to travel without Tidus, too? Tidus rocked back and forth nervously on the balls of his feet, but his thoughts of last night put him at ease. Cloud had been kind to him, and Cloud certainly hadn't seemed to mind his company. Maybe this _was_ his opportunity.

"Alright, I'll go," Tidus announced, finding his confidence. "Can't let him go off on his own. It's too dangerous."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bartz asked. "I mean, you guys don't have any supplies or anything."

"Yeah, it'll be fine. We'll find a moogle or something," Tidus smiled.

"You better go quick. The guy sure knows how to make a quick exit," Zidane interjected, holding a hand above his eyes so that he could see Cloud disappearing into the brilliant sun. Tidus glanced behind him, shocked by how far Cloud had travelled in such a short time.

"Whoa!" he shouted, taking off at a run. "Cloud, wait up!"

"Bye!" Zidane called. "Good luck!"

Tidus proceeded toward Cloud, jogging in large strides so that Cloud wouldn't get too far ahead of him. His mind raced with possibilities of what he might say to Cloud to justify his following him, like _'Cecil and Firion will wonder what happened if you go back without me'_ and _'I don't want you to get hurt on your own_._' _His thoughts were interrupted when he saw a shimmering figure fly past Cloud.

"Cloud! Look out!" Tidus shouted, causing Cloud to look up and see the manikin in front of him. Just as he did, more started to emerge from the surrounding trees.

"We're a-coming!" Zidane called from behind. Tidus could hear his two companions running to help. Cloud tried not to panic when he counted and realized they were greatly outnumbered. Eight manikins surrounded them.

"Tidus, you take that one!" Cloud ordered, referring to a spell-caster up ahead.

"Right," Tidus agreed, charging toward his target. Cloud suddenly found himself regretting sending Tidus away when he realized the other seven manikins were now focusing on him. Cloud frowned and held his ground until one of the manikins came his way. Cloud cringed as he found himself face-to-face with a Sephiroth clone, the first Sephiroth manikin he'd seen. He tried not to let his loathing for this man hamper his judgement. Instead, he tried to focus on his strategy before attacking. After all, this wasn't the real Sephiroth. The real Sephiroth was probably waiting for him somewhere down the line, and this was the perfect opportunity to learn his weaknesses.

Cloud released a small groan when he felt another manikin to his right, its blade cutting through his right arm. He looked to see the Gabranth manikin that had caused the damage. Cloud cursed as he was knocked down by a blast of magic from a Kefka manikin. Yes, he was certainly surrounded.

Bartz and Tidus arrived only seconds later and began hacking away at the manikins around him, giving Cloud time to get back on his feet. They worked on ridding themselves of the manikins, too preoccupied with their own battles to think about what anyone else was doing. It wasn't until they heard Zidane's cry from behind that they realized their friend was in trouble.

"Zidane!" Bartz yelled, abandoning the partly wounded manikin he'd been fighting, and hurrying to Zidane's aid. Tidus and Cloud made quick work of the remaining manikins, and ran to catch up with Bartz and Zidane. By this time, Bartz had finished off the last two manikins and was kneeling next to Zidane. As Cloud and Tidus approached, they could see Zidane clutching his leg. The boy trembled as Bartz tried to remove his hands and take a look.

"C'mon, Zidane. I've gotta see it," Bartz said, gently.

"You're gonna use a damn potion on it, aren't you?" Zidane asked, his eyes scrunched up in pain.

"Depends on how bad it is. Let us see," Cloud said, kneeling down as well. Bartz managed to pry Zidane's now bloodied gloves away from the wound. Tidus bent over to get a better look. A blade had obviously penetrated Zidane's calf muscle, causing blood to pour out of the deep gash in his leg.

"We're gonna have to try and stop the bleeding," Bartz said, looking a little nauseous. Cloud was the first to notice his pale face.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Sometimes I don't do so well around blood," Bartz admitted, putting a hand to his head.

"I'll tend to this. Do you have a potion?" Cloud asked, moving into Bartz's spot and pressing his hands tightly to Zidane's leg, causing the younger man to curse. Bartz moved to search his bag. Tidus crouched down beside Cloud and Zidane, and placed a gentle hand on Zidane's shoulder.

"It'll be okay," Tidus promised.

"I'll keep looking, Cloud, but so far I can't find a potion. Could you check Zidane's bag?" Bartz called from behind.

"Okay, I'll be right there," Cloud answered. "Tidus, will you...?"

Tidus looked up at Cloud and realized what he was being asked to do.

"Oh, yeah. Of course," Tidus agreed, moving in a bit closer and hesitantly putting his hands over Cloud's.

Cloud slowly and carefully pulled his hands out from underneath Tidus', allowing Tidus to continue holding pressure to Zidane's leg. Cloud then proceeded to where Zidane's bag had been haphazardly tossed aside before the fight had begun.

Zidane let out a heavy breath and hung his head back. Tidus glanced up at him, looking apologetic.

"Sorry, bud. This'll be over soon," Tidus said.

"Easy for you to say. Your leg wasn't skewered," Zidane muttered, through clenched teeth.

"Here's the potion," Cloud said, returning to Zidane's side along with Bartz.

"I don't think I've stopped the bleeding yet," Tidus announced, turning to Cloud for further instruction.

"Maybe there's not enough pressure on it," Cloud said.

He knelt beside Tidus, raising his hands, then hesitating. He felt shy to do so, but he knew he needed to help if they wanted to stop the bleeding. Cloud bravely placed his hands over Tidus' and helped press on the wound.

"Geez, you guys. That hurts," Zidane grumbled.

"Sorry, but it has to be done," Cloud told him, earning a scowl from his injured companion. Tidus looked up to see Bartz collapsed on his back, his limbs stretched out in all directions.

"This is too much for me," Bartz said, breathing deeply.

"Don't pass out on us," Tidus teased.

"I'll try not to," Bartz replied, with a half-smile.

Minutes passed, and both Tidus' and Cloud's embarrassment grew, though neither noticed the other was feeling the same way. Finally, Cloud released his grip and instructed Tidus to carefully do the same. The bleeding had stopped.

"Where did I put the potion?" Cloud asked. Tidus reached behind him and grabbed the vial.

"Right here," he replied, handing it to his companion.

"This will probably sting," Cloud informed Zidane as he began pouring the bottle's contents onto the cut.

"Gah! _Probably_?!" Zidane yelled. "News flash, fella! It _does _sting!"

Cloud ignored Zidane as he continued to pour out complaints, and instead watched as Bartz moved to look in his bag again.

"What are you looking for?" Cloud asked. Bartz turned around with the newly retrieved items in his hand.

"Bandages," he replied, returning to Cloud and Zidane.

"Oh, no, you don't! You can't torture me anymore," Zidane protested.

"Cool it, kiddo. We're just trying to help," Tidus cut in, ruffling Zidane's hair as Bartz wrapped the bandage around his leg.

"Kiddo?! I'm hardly any younger than you!"

"I think we're almost done here," Bartz said, with a weak smile, trying not to focus on the blood that threatened to seep through the freshly applied bandage.

"Can you walk?" Cloud asked, getting to his feet. Tidus offered Zidane a hand, which he reluctantly accepted when he was unable to push himself off the ground on his own. Zidane wobbled a bit as he stood. He tried to take a step, but felt his leg go limp.

"Ow!" he yelled, starting to fall, but Tidus caught him. Bartz got to his feet now, too, and proceeded to Zidane's side.

"You sure you can't walk? Try again," Bartz encouraged. Zidane shot him a dirty look, then huffed as he tried to take another step with Tidus' help.

"Ouch! No, there's no way!" he yelled.

"Okay. It's okay," Bartz said, gently, slipping Zidane's free arm around his neck to help hold him up.

"What do we do now?" Tidus asked. "Should we try and carry him?"

"I don't know. We'd probably be an easy target if we were travelling that slow," Cloud frowned, looking pensive.

"You and Tidus should go on ahead," Bartz suggested. "Zidane and I will set up camp and rest until he can move."

"I don't think we should leave you two when he's in this state," Cloud replied, shaking his head.

"Cloud's right. If a big group of manikins showed up like that again, you'd have to take them on by yourself, Bartz," Tidus added. Bartz looked thoughtful.

"That's true," he admitted.

"I hate to lose a days' worth of travel time, but I think letting Zidane rest is our best course of action right now," Cloud said. "Let's find a safe spot to set up camp, then we'll call it a day."

"Okay," Bartz reluctantly agreed, sorry for slowing Cloud down again.

* * *

><p>Tidus and Bartz helped Zidane walk until Cloud found what he figured would be a safe enough place to settle down for a bit. They discovered a deep alcove in the side of a rocky mountain, accompanied by a large waterfall to its left. Once Cloud had explored the recess to make sure it was safe, he allowed the others to enter and set up their bedrolls inside. Tidus was thankful that the cave provided them enough shelter to avoid setting up a tent, and hoped the lack of work would put Cloud in a better mood.<p>

Once Bartz had gotten Zidane situated comfortably on his bedroll, he looked up at Cloud and Tidus who were standing at the entrance of the alcove.

"What are you going to do now?" Bartz asked. Cloud pondered for a moment, looking up at the sky. It was still fairly early in the afternoon. They had lots of time before nightfall.

"I'm going to go take a look around. Clear the area of any possible threats," he replied.

Tidus' heart leapt as he dared to ask the question. "Can I go with you?"

Cloud turned to look at him, then gave him a nod.

"Sure," he answered. Tidus hid a smile.

"Will you be okay here?" Cloud asked, quieting his voice when he realized Zidane had already fallen asleep. Bartz glanced at the figure lying beside him and smiled.

"We'll be fine, but if you could find some food while you're out...?" Bartz started. Cloud nodded, understanding.

"I'll see what I can do," he replied. He led the way out of the alcove, getting his boots a little wet as he passed by the waterfall, and Tidus followed him closely.

They walked for a few minutes through the forest, keeping their eyes peeled for movement of any sort. Fortunately, they didn't see any, though Cloud wouldn't have minded a distraction. He hated the thought of wasting a whole day here. Perhaps it would be even longer than a day. He wasn't quite sure how he would cope if that were the case. His mind always seemed to wander to dark places when he wasn't keeping busy.

"Hey, Cloud?" Tidus asked, keeping his voice fairly low in case there were enemies about.

"Yeah?"

"That was really nice of you back there." Cloud paused in his tracks and turned to look at his companion.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you don't like staying in one spot for too long, but I think you did the right thing. Bartz and Zidane need our help right now. It was good of you not to leave them," Tidus said, smiling.

"Oh, that. It was nothing," Cloud replied, not quite knowing how to respond to the compliment.

"Now, come on. There might be something over this way," Cloud went on, waving for Tidus to follow him. Tidus watched with a smile before tagging along after the man he secretly adored.

* * *

><p>Cloud and Tidus made it back to the alcove by nightfall. Cloud volunteered to take the first shift of night-watch and Bartz had promised to take over partway through, but Cloud was doubtful he actually would; he was out like a light, and Cloud couldn't be bothered to wake him.<p>

The campsite was quiet except for the gently streaming waterfall and the soft breathing of Cloud's sleeping companions deeper within the alcove behind him. Cloud was tired, but he didn't want to sleep. Lately, sleep had been making him feel worse than if he hadn't rested at all. Cloud stared at the waterfall, his eyes blurring from fatigue.

"You fallin' asleep out here?" came Tidus' voice. Cloud's head popped up in surprise, not realizing how strong a hold his drowsiness had on him. He blinked a couple of times as Tidus sat down beside him.

"Sorry," Cloud said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Didn't think I'd be this tired."

"It's okay. I'll take over if you want," Tidus offered, with a smile.

"No, it's fine. I'd rather stay out here," Cloud replied.

"Works for me," Tidus grinned, pulling his knees up to his chest.

Silence set in, a silence they were used to. Much to Tidus' surprise, Cloud was the one to eventually break that silence.

"You couldn't sleep?" Cloud asked, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. He knew insomnia was odd for Tidus; Tidus was usually the first asleep, and the most difficult to wake. Tidus shook his head.

"Nah. Stuff on my mind, I guess," he replied, after a moment.

"I know what that's like," Cloud said, staring off into the distance.

Tidus' gaze darted to the side and lingered there as he tried to imagine what sort of thoughts usually filled his friend's head. It didn't take long for him to decide the question was one he couldn't answer without asking Cloud directly; there were just too many possibilities.

"What kind of stuff do _you_ think about?" Tidus asked, cautiously, knowing Cloud might not respond well to such an intrusive inquiry. Cloud turned his head, and their eyes met for a moment. Tidus was caught off guard when Cloud gave him a small smile.

"Too much. I wouldn't even know where to begin. What about you?" Cloud ventured.

Tidus sighed and turned his gaze back to the waterfall.

"I don't know," Tidus said, uneasily; he didn't want to go there. Thankfully, Cloud didn't coax him to explain further.

They were consumed by another period of silence, and Tidus could see Cloud starting to nod off again. Several times, Tidus almost spoke up, then debated just letting Cloud rest. Eventually, he decided Cloud didn't look comfortable enough to sleep in that position, with his back all slumped over against the rocks.

"Cloud, why don't you go in and get some sleep?" Tidus suggested, placing a gentle hand on Cloud's shoulder; he tried to ignore the way that touch made his pulse race. Cloud brought his head up again, and shook it to try and wake himself up.

"No, I'm okay," Cloud promised.

"Okay..." Tidus said, though he sounded uncertain.

"Hey, why don't we play a game to keep us awake?" he asked a moment later, enthusiasm popping into his voice.

"I don't know about—" Cloud started, but he was interrupted.

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun!" Tidus grinned. Cloud looked uneasy, but Tidus just shrugged it off as he tried to come up with a game. He rested a hand on his chin as he thought, and within seconds, an idea formed—a perfect idea.

"We'll ask each other questions, 'kay?" Tidus asked. He tried to ignore the look of hesitation on Cloud's face. This was a brilliant opportunity to learn more about Cloud, and by golly, he was going to take it.

"I guess so," Cloud finally replied, though he dreaded what he was about to do. He could only hope Tidus would bore quickly from his little game.

"Okay, I'll go first. Have you ever... eaten chocobo meat?" Tidus asked, and he could tell what the answer was going to be from the way Cloud turned up his nose.

"Of course not," Cloud replied, looking disgusted.

"Me neither," Tidus laughed. "Your turn."

Cloud eyed him for a moment, looking a little precarious, but Tidus gave him a nod, encouraging him to come up with a question. Cloud pondered for several seconds before opening his mouth.

"Have you ever... fought a Behemoth?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah. Man, those things are tough!" Tidus gave an exasperated sigh, and rubbed the back of his head.

"I agree."

"Okay. Have you ever made your parents so mad you got grounded?" Tidus asked, his hand forming a fist. Cloud gave a light chuckle.

"No, but it sounds like you have." Tidus gave a huff, then laughed.

"Lots of times," he smiled. It had never taken much to get on Jecht's nerves, and for some reason, getting in trouble had never really bothered Tidus. To be honest, sometimes Tidus had acted out of line just to get his parents' attention.

"My turn?" Cloud asked. "Have you ever run away from home?"

"Ooh, good one. But no, I haven't," Tidus replied. He paused a minute, eyeing Cloud with a smirk. "Wait. Have _you_?" he asked.

"Yeah," Cloud answered.

"Didn't see _that _coming," Tidus admitted, with a grin. "What happened?"

"It was just time to leave," Cloud said. "Being home didn't feel comfortable anymore."

"Oh," Tidus nodded slowly, taking in every word and locking the information away in his brain.

"Your turn," Cloud reminded him, when Tidus looked like he might want to ask more questions about the uncomfortable subject.

"Right. Hmm... Have you ever been in love?" Tidus asked, the words rolling casually off his tongue. He honestly didn't know how he'd kept so calm.

Tidus held his breath, hoping Cloud would reply in some way, just enough to give him a hint of what the answer would be. He watched as Cloud's mood immediately shifted. His head lowered, and his eyes focused on the ground.

"That... That was a long time ago," he eventually answered.

"Cloud, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—" Tidus started, his brows curving upward, apologetically, and his heart racing a mile a minute. He hated to think he'd hurt Cloud in any way.

"What about you?" Cloud cut in, wanting to move past the incident as quickly as possible. Tidus knew what he was trying to do, and he decided to go along with it. He had crossed a line, no matter how unintentional it had been, and he didn't want to upset his friend further, even if part of him wanted to plead for more answers. Tidus paused a moment, and sucked in a deep breath before replying.

"Yeah, I have been," he nodded, wanting so desperately to smooth over the tension that had set in between them. "Yuna. She was a summoner, and I helped her complete her pilgrimage, even though that was a lot more complicated than it sounds."

"What happened to her?" Cloud asked, trying to distract himself from his memories, the ones that were on the verge of rising up and swallowing him. It didn't occur to him that his own question could have been hurting Tidus just as much.

"Like I told Zidane, we grew apart. At the end of our journey, I kinda... disappeared for a while. These things called the fayth, they were sort of the reason for my existence in Yuna's world in the first place. I was a dream. The fayth's dream. After I disappeared, Yuna prayed to the fayth and begged them for my revival. When I came back, she was just... different," Tidus tried to explain. Cloud was drawn in by the distant sadness in his companion's eyes.

"Must have been tough," Cloud said. Tidus shrugged his shoulders.

"It was _really_ tough, but you have to move on, right?"

Cloud's muscles tensed at that statement, and Tidus immediately regretted his words. Tidus bit his lip for what seemed like the millionth time that day as Cloud averted his gaze. Their little game was over.

Cloud mulled over those words, those words that seemed to stab his heart with each beat. _Move on_, Cloud repeated to himself. Sometimes that was easier said than done.

* * *

><p>AN: And there's Chapter 4 for ya! I just want to point out the ages in this story: I chose to have Tidus come to Cosmos' world after the events of X-2, which I think would make him 19 (if not, he's still 19 in _this_ story), and Cloud come to Cosmos' world at the end of his journey in FFVII, but he's still 21. Just thought I'd throw in that little bit of detail for you, readers! Please, feel free to leave me a nice review, and hope to see you back for Chapter 5!


	5. Rainfall

**Chapter 5: ****Rainfall**

Cloud rolled over, the fabric of the unzipped sleeping bag beneath him making noise as he moved, disturbing his slumber; Zidane and Bartz had graciously unzipped their two sleeping bags and spread them out to serve as blankets so everyone would have something to sleep on. The comfort of the decent bed, and the knowledge that his companions were by his side allowed Cloud to gain a better sleep than the night before, but he probably still could have used another hour or two to feel properly rested.

Bartz walked out of the morning sun and into the alcove, the sound of his footsteps rousing Cloud even further from his sleep. Cloud rolled over again, and furrowed his brows as his arm hit the empty space beside him. Even in his half-conscious state, he knew someone was missing. Blue eyes opened and confirmed that only two of his three companions were present. Zidane turned his head at the sound of Cloud's motion.

"Finally awake, sleepy head?" he teased.

"You slept longer than Tidus, and that's saying something!" Bartz laughed. Cloud blinked a couple of times and sat up, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at the empty space beside him.

"Where is Tidus?" Cloud asked.

"He said he was going to blow off some steam. Personally, I hope he comes back with breakfast," Zidane smiled.

Cloud didn't reply; he simply continued to stare at the empty spot on his sleeping bag. He still felt a little uneasy from his question session with Tidus the night before. Cloud had said very little, and yet, he felt he had revealed too much. Tidus certainly had a curious side, and it was starting to become a nuisance. Cloud didn't like questions. He had many things to hide, and Tidus had come dangerously close to uncovering them. So, why was it that _Tidus_ was the one blowing off steam when _Cloud _was the one stressing?

Bartz must have seen the concern in Cloud's face, as he was the next to speak up.

"I'll go look for him," he offered. "He probably didn't go far."

The brunet got up and brushed himself off before proceeding out of the alcove with a smile. Cloud grew immediately uncomfortable as he was left alone with Zidane. Cloud wasn't good at filling up awkward silences with people he knew well, let alone with those he didn't.

"Chin up. Bartz'll be back in a jiffy," Zidane assured his quiet companion.

"Right," Cloud nodded.

"You had a rough go down in that canyon, huh? You still look like hell."

"Thanks," Cloud muttered, pushing himself to stand up. Irritated, he grabbed the sleeping bag off the ground and started to roll it up.

"Sorry, man. I didn't mean it like that. You just look like you could use some more rest, that's all," Zidane spoke up again. Cloud didn't reply. It was unfortunate that his stress was showing.

"So, you and Tidus have been travelling together for a while, huh? You good pals?" Zidane asked, desperate for some conversation that would make Cloud forget about his previous comment.

"I don't know if I'd say that," Cloud said, giving a fleeting glance in Zidane's direction.

"Well, he certainly worries about you. And from the look on your face, you worry about him, too," Zidane said, in a matter-of-fact manner. Cloud frowned.

"What look?" he tested, his patience waning a little. His facade must have been awfully weak these days what with the lack of sleep.

"You've had a knot between your brows ever since you woke up and realized that T wasn't here," Zidane explained, giving Cloud a nod to emphasize his point. Cloud wrinkled his nose.

"I didn't realize," Cloud admitted, monotonously. He swallowed hard. How long had it been since Cloud had actually, sincerely, and consciously, cared about someone? He couldn't say for sure. Ever since he had learned the truth about his muddled memories, caring had seemed to come at a price. It was easier—safer—not to feel anything.

"It's not a bad thing," Zidane tried to convince him when he saw the stoic—or maybe even frighted—look on Cloud's face. "It's good to have someone watching your back, especially in our risky line of work."

"Speaking of which, how's your leg?" Cloud asked, seizing whatever opportunity he could to change the subject.

"Huh? Haven't looked at it yet today. Feels fine. Doubt I'm walking anytime soon, though," Zidane answered, obviously a little unimpressed at Cloud's smooth topic change.

Cloud could tell from the sudden tension in the air that he had annoyed Zidane. He was sort of used to people reacting that way to him; communication was not one of his strengths. It didn't make him feel any less guilty, though.

"I'm gonna go wash up," Cloud said, getting up from his spot and heading for the mouth of the alcove where the morning sun was still shining in.

"Fine," Zidane muttered, folding his arms. "Not like I'm going anywhere."

* * *

><p>The sun was hot on Cloud's back, despite the dampness in the air around the alcove. He knelt at the base of the waterfall and dipped his hands in the water. He waited a moment as they cooled, then he splashed his face and arms, hoping to rid himself of some of yesterday's dirt. He flinched as his arm began to sting. He glanced down at yesterday's wound, now a thin red line, though he could tell from the redness and swelling around it that it was probably infected. He splashed a bit more water on the cut and hoped that would help clean it out at least a little bit.<p>

"What'cha doing?" Tidus asked, from behind him. Cloud turned his head enough to see Bartz and Tidus approaching. At least Tidus _looked_ okay. Maybe he'd simply needed to clear his head.

"Just washing up," Cloud replied, pushing himself up off the ground and brushing a hand over his wounded arm, feeling a little embarrassed after handling himself so poorly in such a simple battle. To his relief, the others didn't notice the injury.

"Bartz, get in here!" came an angry shout from inside the alcove. The three standing outside turned their head in that direction. Bartz gave a sigh.

"The patient doesn't sound happy," he said quietly, as he entered the recess in the rocks. Cloud hesitantly looked up at Tidus. Their gazes met only for a second, and they gave each other a polite nod. Cloud could feel a new wave of uneasiness growing inside him, a tangible tension lingering from the night before.

"Hey, guys!" Bartz called out. The two didn't hesitate in entering the alcove.

Zidane still sat in the corner, now with Bartz kneeling at his side. The younger boy's pant-leg was rolled up to the knee, revealing what used to be a white bandage; clearly, it had bled through. Tidus' expression turned to one of concern.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Apparently, the bleeding won't stop," Zidane answered, his voice sounding a little shaky. Bartz put a hand on his shoulder, and glanced back at the others.

"Listen, this is going to sound crazy, but I need you guys to find a Malboro for me," Bartz said.

"What? I've hardly seen anything but manikins since we've come here!" came Tidus' expressive reply.

"Zidane and I encountered one out in the forest a few days back. The tips of its tentacles are supposed to be good for clotting the blood," Bartz explained.

"I don't think our odds of finding a Malboro are very good," Cloud frowned.

"Can you guys at least look? I don't know what else to do," Bartz begged, his brows creased with worry.

"Cloud?" Tidus asked, glancing in the man's direction for a response. Cloud closed his eyes for a long moment, then gave a sigh.

"Fine. But don't get your hopes up," he said, as he turned and left the alcove. Tidus gave his other two friends an encouraging smile before taking off after Cloud.

* * *

><p>The woods were thick with fog, adding a damp smell to the air. Every few minutes, Tidus and Cloud would encounter a patch of mist and would get a little wet every time they had to go through it. It didn't take long for them to feel a little chilled, but they were determined to keep walking.<p>

"Malboros, huh? They're such a pain," Tidus spoke up, his hands rising to rest behind his head.

"You had them back in your world?" Cloud asked, though he didn't much care.

"Sure did. You?" Tidus asked, sounding as perky as ever. He was doing his best to act normally, but he was monitoring himself closely, making sure to avoid any more conversations that would make Cloud uncomfortable—he'd spent the early hours of the morning trying to figure out how.

"Yeah," Cloud replied. "And one thing I learned is that weather like this attracts them."

They walked a few more steps and came to yet another sprinkling of mist. Cloud huffed, and proceeded through the pocket, small droplets of water making his skin and clothes just a little damper than they had been moments before. Tidus shivered as he watched Cloud move through the mist patch, just the sight of it making him chilly. With a deep breath, he gathered the energy he needed to run through the patch as quickly as he could. He shook his head when he got to the other side, sending small, wet speckles flying out of his damp hair.

"It's freezing out here," Tidus exclaimed, as he followed behind his fearless leader. Cloud didn't bother to look back at him.

"Try not to let it slow you down," he replied.

Tidus paused in his steps and watched as Cloud walked a few paces ahead of him. He couldn't tell if Cloud was still upset about the night before, or if something else was bothering him. Cloud was usually pretty detached, but something was a little off. Even Bartz had noticed it, but Tidus wondered if he had made things worse with his little questionnaire the night before. He jogged a few steps to catch up with Cloud again.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?" Tidus asked. Cloud still didn't meet his gaze. He seemed quite preoccupied with analyzing his surroundings, and trying to choose the correct path through the forest.

"If you can walk and talk at the same time," Cloud answered, without hesitation.

"Right," Tidus uttered, softly, hanging his head low. He followed Cloud as he chose a new direction, even though, according to Tidus, every tree in the forest was identical, and there was no clear indication of right or wrong turns.

"I want to apologize. About last night," Tidus said, somewhat solemnly, hoping Cloud would hear in his tone how truly sorry he was.

Cloud felt a tightness rise into his chest. He couldn't believe Tidus was bringing up the topic again after he had so obviously been made uncomfortable by his questions the night before. Why couldn't Tidus understand that there were some things that should be left alone? Tidus spoke on when he realized Cloud wasn't going to reply.

"I shouldn't have asked about... you know. I didn't realize it was so personal."

This time, Cloud turned to face him, and Tidus' expression was so sad and so sincere that Cloud couldn't help but want to accept his apology. Cloud absentmindedly placed a hand on Tidus' shoulder; had he thought about it, he probably would have backed down.

"It's okay. You couldn't have known," Cloud replied, causing Tidus to look up at him. A small smile returned to Tidus' tanned face and Cloud felt slight satisfaction in knowing that he had set at least one thing straight in his mixed-up life.

"Cloud, behind you!" Tidus shouted. His smile fell from his face and a look of fear replaced it. Cloud cautiously turned around and drew his sword. The Malboro towering over him looked like it was in a feisty mood.

* * *

><p>"Really? This little thing'll stop the bleeding?" Tidus asked, poking at the small, green tentacle tip that lay in his palm. A translucent, purple fluid was seeping from the end where it had been removed from the defeated Malboro.<p>

"Careful. It'll probably still sting if you get any of that venom on you," Cloud warned, casting a quick glance behind him to make sure Tidus was still following him.

"So, how's it supposed to help Zidane? Won't it hurt him?" Tidus asked. Cloud paused and turned to face Tidus. Tidus watched as Cloud pointed to a part on the tentacle.

"See that?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah," Tidus nodded.

"That suction cup is what's gonna clot the blood," Cloud explained, before turning and starting on his way again.

"Aha. So, that's how it's done. Sounds kinda gross," Tidus admitted, with a chuckle. He stopped walking when he bumped into Cloud's outstretched arm. He looked up to see that Cloud had come to a halt, and looked to be listening hard.

"Do you hear that?" Cloud asked. Tidus looked around, warily.

"No. What is it?"

"Thunder," Cloud stated. "If it starts raining, I doubt we'll make it back to the alcove tonight. It'll make the trek too slow."

"Ugh, you mean we'll have to spend the night cold and wet _again_?" Tidus sighed.

"Hopefully not, but I'm not ruling it out," Cloud replied.

He waved a hand, coaxing Tidus to follow him again. Tidus looked up at the grey sky above them, and silently prayed to Yevon that it would not pour down on them.

* * *

><p>Either Yevon couldn't be reached in this world, or Yevon just didn't care about such trivial matters. Either way, rain began to pour down in heavy drops, drenching both men even under the cover of the forest's tall trees. Tidus ran to keep up with Cloud, but even with their speed, they were still nowhere near the alcove. Cloud wasn't even sure which way the alcove was anymore, no thanks to the thick fog. Cloud finally gave up on proceeding forward, and Tidus hung his head back in frustration when he realized what they were going to have to do.<p>

"I know you don't want to, but we don't have much of a choice," Cloud told him, almost having to shout over the loud rain.

"There's hardly any shelter!" Tidus reminded him. Cloud nodded.

"We'll have to make do. And make sure you keep that tentacle safe." Tidus nodded back and patted the tentacle in his pocket before charging off after Cloud who was headed for a nearby tree.

The older blond settled down on the ground, and forced himself to lie down on the sopping wet grass beneath him. Perhaps the tree above prevented _some_ of the raindrops from reaching Cloud's body, but Cloud was so drenched by this point, he could hardly tell.

"Come on, Tidus," Cloud beckoned. Tidus hesitated, but finally lowered himself to the ground and lay down beside Cloud. They stared at the sky above them for a moment, then rolled onto their sides when raindrops began to sting their eyes. Tidus stared at Cloud's back, and knew it was going to be a long night.

"Goodnight, Cloud," he said. There was a long pause, then a hesitant, "Goodnight." Neither could wait for morning.

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_It's so cold on the ground," Cloud complained, looking down at the man beside him. This man's appearance would certainly stand out in a crowd, even in a place like Shinra where most wore identical uniforms. He had something. Striking, spiky black hair. A scar in the shape of an x on his left cheek. A smile that was contagious. A heart that could draw anyone in, woman or man._

_The black-haired SOLDIER patted the blanket he'd laid out on the grass, encouraging Cloud to sit down with him._

"_Come on. You'll only be cold for a minute," he promised. Cloud reluctantly gave in and sat beside his partner, quickly feeling the man's arms wrap around him. Cloud smiled at the warmth._

"_Okay, so, you see that one?" the SOLDIER asked, pointing at one of the stars above them._

"_Yeah?"_

"_I name that one after my hometown, Gongaga, 'cause it's soooo far away from all the other stars," the man smiled. _

"_Nibelheim could fit into that category, too,"Cloud laughed._

"_That's right! Forgot you're a country boy, too." The older man gave the blond's hair a good ruffle. "And let's see... That little circle of stars is what Angeal always called the 'Dumbapple constellation'," the SOLDIER explained, causing Cloud to chuckle. _

"_I know. I always thought it was a little silly. Oh, but we haven't gotten to my favourite one yet."_

"_What's that?" Cloud asked._

"_Right there. I call it 'Cloud.'" The blond turned his attention to the other man, looking skeptical._

"_Zack, that's the moon," Cloud groaned._

"_I know, but it's bigger and brighter than all the other stars," Zack said, shooting his hands up into the air in excitement. When Cloud continued to stare at him with curious eyes, Zack gave a sigh. He needed another approach, some way that Cloud might better understand him. He smiled, and ran hand along Cloud's cheek. "It was the only one incredible enough to be named after you." _

_Cloud's mouth popped open in surprise, then he smiled, hoping the sky was dark enough to hide the blush that had suddenly flourished on his young face._

"_You're a goofball," Cloud laughed, giving Zack a playful punch in the arm. Zack released a hearty chuckle._

* * *

><p><em>Cloud wasn't quite sure how he had gotten his body to move, or how he had managed to lift that giant sword up with him. He stared at the lifeless body on the cold, hard stone. He wished he'd been able to warm Zack up. He'd tried lying up against him all night, holding him tight in his arms, trying to get some warmth back into him, but it hadn't worked. Death had taken away his warmth... for good. <em>

_Cloud didn't want to walk away. Even with that smile on Zack's face, Cloud couldn't believe that his partner was comfortable. That cliff was so hard, and the smell of blood was still so strong. He wished there was something, anything he could do to make Zack—or Zack's body—more comfortable as he waited for the Lifestream to accept him, but there was nothing else he could do. He knew he had to leave Zack as he was. If he didn't get out of here soon, Shinra would find him, and Zack's efforts would go to waste. He couldn't let that happen._

_Cloud turned slowly, finding it hard to even _look_ away, let alone _walk _away. Finally, he managed to tear his eyes away from his beloved partner, and stood with his back to him. He paused for a long moment, trying to come up with something to say to him. 'Goodbye' sounded too sad. 'Farewell' sounded too permanent. He thought back to all those nights they had spent together. Whether they had been parting for the night, or lying down to sleep, they had always said the same thing. Cloud mustered up all the courage he could and hoped his voice wouldn't fail him._

"_Goodnight... Zack," he whispered. Then he walked off, dragging the precious Buster sword behind him._

* * *

><p>"Cloud."<p>

Cloud groaned, throwing his arm up over his eyes. Tidus sighed before repeating his name and shaking him gently. Cloud opened his tired eyes, and was surprised when they focused on Tidus.

"Where am I?" Cloud asked. Tidus hesitated for a moment, surprised by Cloud's sudden disorientation.

"In... the woods? The rainy woods from hell? Remember?" Tidus answered, with a half smile, hoping to jog Cloud's memory.

"Oh. Right," Cloud sighed, sitting up. He glanced up at the morning sun, trying to determine the time of day based on its position. Obviously, the storm had passed, but Cloud hadn't been aware of it ending. He had fallen into a much deeper sleep than he would have liked.

"It's probably about ten o'clock. We lost quite a few hours of travel time. We'll have to try to make up for it," the elder blond said, quickly getting himself up off the ground, his wet clothes sticking to him.

"Are you okay?" Tidus asked, watching Cloud with a look of concern.

"Yeah. Why?" Cloud asked, adjusting the sword on his back.

"That's two days in a row now. You hardly ever sleep later than I do," Tidus said, glancing at the sun, then back down. "Especially _this_ late. And you were—"

"I was just tired," Cloud replied, simply. Tidus heaved a sigh, and tried not to worry too much.

"Let's move," Cloud said, taking up the lead once more.

Tidus watched as he started to walk away. He held his breath, hoping that might stop him from asking the question that rose to the tip of his tongue. He almost knew Cloud wouldn't react well, but he had to know. He couldn't stop mulling over what Cloud had repeated over and over again in his sleep.

"Who's Zack?" Tidus asked, biting his lip once the words were out. Cloud felt like he'd been kicked in the gut.

He halted immediately, and turned his head only slightly. Tidus wasn't even sure whether Cloud could see him through the corner of his eye or not.

Tidus waited for an answer. He was met with a long silence, until Cloud finally continued on his way, not saying a word, a frigidness forming in his heart. Tidus clenched his fists, and cursed his curious side for always having to rise to the surface.

* * *

><p>AN: So, there you have it. Chapter 5. A bit of FFVII Crisis Core thrown in there, for those of you who aren't familiar with it. It's an incredible game! Play it, if you haven't already! Poor Tidus. He has a hard time keeping his mouth shut, even when his intentions are good in the long run. Anyway, I could ramble on all day, but I'll spare you. Hope you enjoyed! Please, review if you have the time:)


	6. Caught

**Chapter 6: Caught**

Tidus stayed quiet as they travelled, regretting having brought up the subject of 'Zack'... whoever he was. Cloud hadn't said a word ever since, and although Tidus knew it was normal for Cloud to be silent for long periods of time, he was almost positive that Cloud was giving him a special dose of_ super_-silent-treatment. Tidus wanted to apologize—he must have opened and closed his mouth a hundred times—but he didn't want to bring up the topic again to do so. Instead, he kept a smile on his face and kept trekking along, hoping that things would smooth over if he remained in good spirits.

Cloud could hear Tidus' footsteps behind him, and he tried his very hardest to keep several steps ahead, just so Tidus couldn't see his face. Cloud couldn't have felt more stupid, or more embarrassed, or more distraught. He had dreamed of Zack again, and apparently, this time, he had uttered his name in his sleep. He didn't want to know how many times that sweet name had passed through his lips, or how loudly he had called for him. He couldn't bear to imagine the ideas Tidus might be coming up with, ideas of what sort of relationship he and Zack had had.

Cloud put a hand to his stomach, suddenly feeling like he wanted to throw up; Cloud couldn't think of Zack at all without feeling like his insides were being torn out.

"Hey, you look awfully down, kupo!" came a high-pitched voice. Tidus and Cloud looked up from the ground, and glanced around wildly for the source. Suddenly, a small moogle with a scepter emerged from the trees.

"Oh!" Tidus remarked, as the little guy flew towards him, his red bobble bouncing as he travelled. Tidus poked him in the stomach, making him squeal a loud 'kupo' before he took off towards Cloud and hovered in the air in front of him, purple wings flapping in a blur.

"Did you lose your way, kupo?" the moogle asked.

Tidus came up to stand beside Cloud so he could get a better look at the creature. He cocked his head to the side and smiled, watching the little white monster intently. This was only the second moogle he'd ever seen; they were mostly just myths in Spira, and he hadn't even known about their existence while living in Zanarkand.

"Actually, we could use a little help. Did you see a waterfall in your travels?" Cloud asked. The moogle spun around in the air a few of times, then stopped and pointed his wand in between a couple of trees.

"That way, kupo," the creature answered.

"Thanks," Cloud said, with a nod. Tidus honestly didn't know how Cloud could look at that thing and not smile, but somehow he was managing.

"Do you need supplies, kupo?"

"Actually, we do," Tidus spoke up. "We left our stuff with our friends, and who knows when we'll see them again."

Cloud started digging in his pockets, hoping he had stuffed something useful in them somewhere along the way, but withdrew only ten gil and the potion from a few days ago. He heaved a sigh, and turned his attention toward Tidus. The younger man immediately reached into his own pockets, but only the Malboro tentacle lay in his palm when he revealed his hands again.

"No gil here," he sighed.

"Oh, but you defeated the Malboro, kupo! That calls for a reward, kupo!" The moogle twirled around in the air again, waving his scepter, and Tidus and Cloud jumped back a little when two bedrolls and a potion materialized in a neat pile on the ground.

"So cool!" Tidus shouted excitedly, a grin on his face. Cloud knelt down to examine the objects that had just appeared, and confirmed that they were, in fact, real. He rose to his feet again and gave the moogle a nod.

"Thank you," he said.

"No problem, kupo!" the moogle smiled, before flying out of sight.

"Wait! What can we buy for ten gil?" Tidus called out, standing on his toes, as if that would make his voice project farther. When there was no response, nor sign of the creature returning, Tidus returned his weight to his heels and sighed.

"It was a long shot anyway," he shrugged, giving Cloud a small smile.

"Come on," Cloud encouraged, kneeling down to gather up his newly acquired sleeping bag. He slung the straps over his shoulders and grabbed the potion off the ground, tucking it into his pocket as he stood. Tidus strapped on his own bedroll, and looked to Cloud for instruction.

"The moogle said the waterfall was that way, right?" Cloud asked.

"Uh-huh," Tidus answered, with a nod.

"Then let's go."

Tidus knew Cloud was still avoiding conversation as much as he could, and maybe Tidus deserved to be ignored. Maybe he had been prying into Cloud's affairs a little too much lately. He had to keep reminding himself that they had only met a few months ago. To Cloud, they weren't much more than acquaintances yet, but to Tidus, they were _friends_; that made it all the more devastating to have Cloud ignore him. Tidus knew he wouldn't feel right again until he fixed things between them. He just wished he knew how.

* * *

><p>Bartz was lying on his back when the men entered the alcove. Zidane sat in the corner with a smirk on his face. He stared up at Tidus and Cloud, watching in amusement as their expressions turned to those of confusion.<p>

"Poor Bartz got a little woozy," Zidane snickered.

"I should have known I couldn't handle all that blood," Bartz spoke up, an arm draped over his eyes. Tidus let out a burst of laughter, his hands falling onto his knees as he doubled over in hysterics.

"Thanks, Tidus," Bartz muttered. "Thanks a lot."

"Sorry," Tidus chuckled, panting to get himself under control. Cloud took a few steps forward and knelt down beside Zidane, analyzing the reddened bandages, then he met Zidane's gaze.

"We got the Malboro tentacle," he announced.

"Oh, really? Great!" Bartz exclaimed, sitting up.

"Yeah. Great," Zidane groaned.

"Tidus?" Cloud asked. Tidus nodded and stepped forward, crouching next to Cloud and Zidane. Cloud began to unwrap the bandages on Zidane's leg. He could feel the boy grow tense beneath his touch.

"Tidus, be ready with the tentacle, okay?" Cloud asked.

"'Kay," Tidus nodded, pulling the tentacle out of his pocket. Cloud pulled off the last of the bandages, causing the wound to bleed freely again.

"Okay, now," Cloud calmly instructed. Tidus pressed the tentacle to the gash in Zidane's calf, causing Zidane to growl.

"That stings!"

"There could still be some venom in the tentacle," Cloud explained. "Don't worry, though. It should only hurt for a minute. You'll be okay."

Tidus cast a subtle glance in Cloud's direction. Moments like that, when Cloud spoke so softly and calmly, made him see Cloud in that light that no one else seemed to see. Cloud _did_ care about people; Tidus could hear it in his voice, detect it in his eyes. He wondered why no one else could see Cloud's heart the way he could. Maybe he was crazy.

"Does it feel okay, Zidane?" Bartz asked from his position a few feet away; no way was he getting close enough to see.

"Kinda sore. You get used to it after a minute, though," Zidane answered.

"Good," Bartz said, managing a weak smile.

The group fell silent as they waited for the tentacle to work its magic. Tidus and Cloud took turns holding the tentacle in place, and Zidane was surprisingly patient with the procedure. Finally, Cloud cautiously lifted the tentacle off a small area of the wound, and to his relief, the bleeding had stopped.

"You were right, Bartz. It worked," Cloud said, removing the tentacle completely and setting it aside. With a satisfied expression, he began wrapping the clotted wound again with some clean bandages out of Zidane's bag.

"I'm so glad," Bartz smiled. Zidane stretched his arms above his head and let out a sigh of relief.

"Man, it's good to have that over with," he said.

"I can imagine," Tidus replied, with a light chuckle.

"There you go," Cloud uttered softly, finishing with the bandages.

"Thanks, Cloud," Zidane smiled, then his face fell a little. "Hey, you're hurt, too," he said, eyeing Cloud's arm. Cloud's jaw dropped a little, and he tried to hide his injury with his hand.

"It's fine. Just a scratch," Cloud lied.

"Looks like more than a scratch," Zidane frowned.

"Let me see," Tidus insisted, his heart leaping into his throat as he felt himself reacting on impulse. Before he could tell his brain to stop, he was placing a gentle hand on Cloud's shoulder.

Cloud fidgeted under his touch, and Cloud could tell in that instant that Tidus was offended; the look on his face spoke volumes. Cloud quietly apologized and allowed Tidus to take a look at the cut. The thin slice was surrounded by red, puffy skin, and Tidus had seen enough injuries to know this didn't look like it was healing properly.

"It looks a little infected. I could—er... Maybe _someone_ should clean it up for you," Tidus corrected himself. He knew he should keep his distance, and give Cloud time to recover from his earlier intrusion, even though he would have been more than happy to take on the role of medic himself.

"It'll be fine," Cloud insisted.

"It does look pretty bad, Cloud," Zidane cut in.

"Yeah. And I knew this guy who lost his whole arm because of an infection," Tidus said, quickly, grasping at whatever straws he could to get Cloud to take proper care of himself.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tidus saw Zidane throw his arms up in the air to question his odd little story, but Tidus simply held his breath as he awaited Cloud's response. Cloud was staring at him—hard, incredulously. Tidus fidgeted under his stern gaze.

"You made that up, didn't you?" Cloud tested.

"I, uh..." Tidus started, but he gave up his little fib quickly, and let out a sigh instead. "You know me so well."

His fingers nervously knotted together. He wasn't used to Cloud picking up on his quirks so easily.

"Okay, I didn't actually _know_ a guy, but that kinda thing happens. Infection's a nasty thing, you know? You should take it seriously."

Zidane cleared his throat loudly, bringing Tidus out of his own little world with Cloud. Tidus held his breath again, realizing he had been talking for too long. He let out a nervous chuckle and looked to the brunet man.

"Bartz, you want to bandage this up for him?" Tidus asked. He saw Zidane give him an urgent look out of the corner of his eye, like he couldn't believe he was giving up an opportunity to talk to Cloud, after he'd expressed such an interest in getting to know him better.

"Are you making fun of me? No, thanks. No blood," Bartz responded, shaking his head like a madman.

"Zidane?" Tidus asked, sounding a little desperate as his eyes shot toward the boy in the corner.

"I ain't moving. _You_ should wash it out in the waterfall, T. Here's some bandages," Zidane said, tossing his bag towards Tidus. "Knock yourself out, buddy," he grinned, as Tidus just barely caught the backpack. Tidus gave him a glare, then turned to leave the alcove.

"C'mon, Cloud," he coaxed. Cloud was reluctant, glancing at his remaining companions in hopes that they might give him a way out of the awkward situation, but they only sat in silence, and Cloud felt he had no choice but to follow his chipper companion.

* * *

><p>The water pooling at the bottom of the waterfall was cool to the touch. Tidus tore off a small piece of the bandage Zidane had given him and soaked it. Now, he held it to Cloud's arm, and tried to ignore the fact that Cloud was hating every second of this.<p>

Despite Cloud's embarrassment, he allowed Tidus to continue. The cold water was soothing on the hot and inflamed wound. Every few minutes, Tidus would wet the bandage again and reapply it to the injury, easing Cloud's pain a little more each time. Once Tidus felt confident that he had thoroughly cleaned out the cut, he asked Cloud for the half-used potion from a few days ago, and poured a little on it.

"Zidane was right. This does sting a little," Cloud said, his closed eyes emphasizing his slight discomfort.

"Sorry," Tidus responded, softly.

"It's okay."

Silence struck as they waited for the potion to work. Tidus knew this might be his only chance for a while to be alone with Cloud. Since the opportunity was here, he decided he should use it to try and get back in Cloud's good graces.

"Cloud?" Tidus spoke up. Cloud looked up at him, and he could tell what he wanted to say from his expression.

"Just let it go, Tidus," Cloud replied. He closed his eyes again, and Tidus didn't know whether it was caused by the pain in his arm, or if he was trying to avoid further conversation.

"I just have to say I'm sorry. What you said in your sleep... It was none of my business. I shouldn't have asked about it," Tidus confessed. He could feel himself shrinking down, as if he were expecting Cloud to scold him or something.

"Forget about it," Cloud insisted. Tidus looked up at him. He still sat with his eyes closed, but he didn't look angry. Maybe a little perturbed, but not angry.

"Okay," Tidus said, in a small voice. He wasn't about to push his luck.

Once the potion had taken its effect, Tidus rooted in Zidane's bag for more bandages. He took them in his hands, ready to tackle the next stage. He hesitated when he saw how uncomfortable Cloud still looked.

"Do you want to do it?" he asked, offering the bandage to Cloud.

"Yeah, I can do it," Cloud nodded, looking slightly relieved as he accepted the cloth from his companion. Tidus watched as Cloud tucked one end of the bandage into his mouth, and tried to tighten the cloth around his arm using his free hand.

"Can you get that?" Cloud asked, somewhat timidly when the cloth fell from between his teeth.

"Sure," Tidus obliged, his hands capturing the free end of the cloth. "I would have done it, but you just seemed sort of uncomfortable, so I..." Tidus trailed off. He was talking so fast, he was shocked he hadn't stumbled over his words.

"That's my fault," Cloud said, shaking his head. "Guess I can be a little stubborn sometimes." Tidus wasn't quite sure what to say next, so he simply flashed a shy smile and offered Cloud the bandage once more.

"Do you want to finish it, or will I?"

"You, if you don't mind," Cloud replied.

"Not at all," Tidus smiled.

Tidus took a deep breath to relax himself as he began wrapping the bandage properly around Cloud's arm. Cloud watched as he worked, and focused on keeping himself calm. He knew there was no reason to be at unease—Tidus was one of the most easygoing people Cloud had ever known—but being in the presence of others always seemed to have that effect on him regardless. Ever since he'd lost… No, he didn't want to go there.

Cloud brought his head up, breaking out of his thoughts. He found himself staring at Tidus' boyish face—so innocent, so kind. He remained still as he felt his temperature increase; their faces were much too close. He hoped Tidus wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, for Cloud, he did. Just as Tidus went to pull away, their eyes met... and lingered. Tidus' head fell to the side, his brows twitching a little, silently questioning the look they were sharing.

Cloud was the first to turn his head the other way, feeling sure that Tidus had just discovered his not-so-straight sexuality. Tidus cleared his throat and looked up at the sky. His heart was pounding hard. And was it him, or had Cloud's cheeks looked unusually pink?

Neither of them had enough time to try and analyze the situation further as they heard something off in the distance. Both turned in the direction of the sound and got themselves into battle stance, though they had regretfully left their weapons inside the alcove. They were still, silent, just waiting for someone or something to approach.

"Hey, Yuna! Looks like we found some company!" Laguna shouted, as he and the beautiful brunette strolled out from within the trees.

* * *

><p>"Well, I'll tell ya, I sure am excited to find some more guys from team Cosmos!" Laguna cheered as he took a large bite out of his—as he called it—'chicken' wing. No one had asked what kind of meat Laguna had actually presented them with. They were all too hungry to risk losing their appetite, and eating meat, no matter what kind, was a privilege they didn't want to throw away.<p>

"We're glad, too," Zidane smiled, from his spot around the campfire. With Cloud's help, Laguna had gotten Zidane situated near the fire, his leg resting comfortably on a small, rounded rock. Bartz sat beside him, keeping a close eye on him as they ate their supper.

Tidus sat across from Yuna. His stomach turned every time his eyes flickered up and met with hers. The last time they had been together, things had ended so badly. Yuna had been devastated, and Tidus had been left with this nagging feeling, like he had done something wrong. He just didn't understand why it felt so wrong when all he had done was be honest with her.

"I take it things have been a little rough around here. I see bandages on half of ya," Laguna teased.

"Two out of four, yeah," Bartz replied, with a chuckle. "We could be better."

"So, Laguna. How did you end up out here?" Cloud asked, taking a momentary break from eating his sketchy meat.

"Funny story. We were tracking a bunch of munchkins when all of a sudden, we heard this waterfall. So, Yuna, here, thought she'd like to check it out. That's when we found you lot," Laguna explained, enthusiasm in his voice, as usual.

"You mean _manikins_? Not _munchkins_?" Bartz laughed.

"Oh, sure. Yeah, yeah," Laguna nodded.

"Did you catch up with the manikins?" Cloud asked.

"Sorry, kiddo. They're probably still nearby," Laguna answered. He smirked a little when he saw Cloud make a face at that little nickname.

Tidus looked up again to see Yuna's Al Bhed eyes staring back at him. Finally, he nodded his head toward the trees behind him, beckoning her to follow him as he got up and headed for the forest. Yuna stood a moment later, drawing all eyes toward her.

"Excuse me a moment," she said, politely, before making her way into the woods. Everyone watched the two walk off, and returned to their meal.

Cloud concluded that this must be the Yuna that Tidus had been talking about before. He couldn't imagine what they might be talking about, but if there was a possibility of them patching things up, then he hoped they could make it happen. Despite their differences, Cloud couldn't stand the thought of a heartbroken Tidus. It surprised Cloud that he still felt that way after all the tension and awkward conversations that had occurred between them, but sometimes that smile of Tidus' was the one thing that brightened up Cloud's dreary days in this foreign world.

* * *

><p>The forest was quiet except for the chirping of crickets, making Tidus feel confident that he and Yuna were alone. He could hear her quiet footsteps behind him, but he didn't turn around until he felt they were deep enough into the woods to have a private conversation. Finally, he stopped and faced her. Her blue and green eyes shimmered in the moonlight, wordlessly begging him to speak. It took Tidus a moment to find his voice, but when he did speak, he almost wished he hadn't.<p>

"Yuna, I'm sorry about... you know. The last time we were together, I know I hurt you," he said, his voice solemn, and his eyes focused on the ground. The girl stared at him for a long moment, then folded her hands in front of her.

"Do you... still feel that way?" she asked. Tidus looked up at her, shocked that she had asked such a thing. He didn't want to have to break her heart all over again.

She certainly looked different than the last time he had seen her. When Tidus had awoken from his sleep at the bottom of the ocean, and had met up with Yuna in Besaid, she had seemed like an entirely different person. At first, he had been so overwhelmed by being revived by the fayth, and coming home to see his friends again, he had just embraced this new Yuna before him: Yuna the sphere hunter.

But as time went on, and Tidus got to know this new Yuna, he realized that it was the old Yuna—the gentle, innocent Yuna—that had really taken hold of his heart. It was Yuna the summoner who he had fought alongside, who he had protected, who he had loved with all of his being. Though this new Yuna had many of the same qualities, she just didn't touch that place inside of him that had made him feel like they were meant for each other.

Now, she stood before him in her old summoning clothes, and Tidus felt more confused about her than he ever had. Maybe she could be the same Yuna from two years ago. Maybe she _wanted_ to be that girl again, but did it really matter anymore? Was it Yuna that Tidus was yearning for right now?

When he thought about that, everything became painfully clear. Getting closer to Cloud felt like something he had to do, and until he could sort things out with him, and figure out if there was even a possibility of Cloud reciprocating his feelings, he couldn't be with Yuna. He needed to obtain Cloud's utmost trust. He needed to be free of personal ties. And quite honestly, he wasn't sure how in love with Yuna he was anymore. He couldn't lie to her, and he certainly couldn't lie to himself.

"I do. I'm sorry," he told her. She turned her back to him and took a few steps away.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" she asked, tilting her head back to stare at the starry sky.

Tidus watched her. She was so still, like she thought any movement might affect his answer. He didn't want to reply to her question. After all, back when they had broken up, there hadn't been anyone else at all.

"Even if there was, you and I are different people now. We've grown up, and we've chosen some different paths for ourselves," Tidus tried to explain. He walked forward until he reached her, and he touched her pale shoulder.

"Yuna, you've got to believe me when I say I love you, but this... This isn't going to work out," he said. He didn't know how he could tell with her back to him, but he knew she was crying. There were probably tears running down her cheeks as he spoke.

"So, that's it, then," she replied, softly, her voice effectively hiding her tears. Tidus didn't know what else to say. Instead, he brushed some hair away from the side of her face, and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"I won't get in the way," she said. "I want you to be happy."

She turned to face her beloved Tidus, and raised a hand to brush away a tear just under her eye. Tidus' heart lurched a little, seeing her like that, but he stood by his answer.

"Goodbye, Tidus."

Yuna offered him a small smile, then turned away once more, heading back to the others. Tidus stood there for a moment, wanting to say more, but couldn't to think of anything worthwhile. He eventually followed after her, keeping a few steps behind her all the way.

* * *

><p>By the time they got back, Laguna and Bartz were working on setting up Laguna's tent near the waterfall, and Cloud was helping Zidane back into the alcove. Laguna eyed Yuna carefully as she emerged from the woods. The man dropped the tent pole he was working with and rushed over to meet the girl.<p>

"What's with the misty eyes?" Laguna asked her, his voice rather quiet for once. She shook her head.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she replied, forcing a small smile.

"Well, if you change your mind, you know I'm here to listen," the man reassured her. Tidus walked out of the woods a moment later, and Laguna refrained from confronting him, knowing that some things were better left alone.

"Need any help?" Tidus asked, approaching the men working on the tent.

"I think we're okay. Cloud might want a hand getting Zidane settled in there, though," Bartz said, nodding in the direction of the alcove as he fiddled with the tent.

Tidus nodded, and walked into the alcove to find Cloud and Zidane; they had hardly made it past the entrance. The boy's arm was draped around Cloud's neck as Cloud helped him limp toward his corner of the cave. Tidus rushed to Zidane's other side to help support him.

"Thanks," Cloud uttered. Tidus ignored the worried look Zidane was suddenly giving him as he helped him walk. He was sure Zidane would want to hear all about his talk with Yuna, but he wasn't ready to disclose that information. It hurt too much.

"Whew," Zidane sighed, as the men lowered him to his sleeping bag. "That's enough movement for one day."

"Good, 'cause we're all ready for bed, here," Bartz announced, as he entered the alcove. The others followed behind him.

"Yuna and I are gonna turn in, if that's cool," Laguna smiled.

"That's fine," Cloud replied. "I'll take night-watch, if no one minds."

"No one _minds_, but you don't have to stay up by yourself. I'll help," Bartz volunteered. Tidus wouldn't object under the circumstances. After their last night-watch together, he figured it might be best if he and Cloud didn't make a habit of it.

"Fine," Cloud answered.

"Well, g'night, all," Laguna grinned, putting a gentle hand on Yuna's back and helping her out of the alcove. Cloud and Bartz said their goodnights to Zidane and Tidus, then made their way to the mouth of the alcove and sat down.

Cloud was relieved to be on night-watch again. The last thing he wanted was to get caught talking in his sleep again. He had been dreaming of Zack more frequently lately, turning his mood into what he knew was even more touchy than usual. The safest thing to do was to busy his thoughts with other things. He was sure that if he were idle for too long, Zack would fill his thoughts, and when that happened, Cloud started losing all desire to fight, to move, to even speak.

He couldn't say what had spurred on the recurring dreams of his deceased partner, but they had been disturbing his sleep for several nights now. The dreams he'd had the night before, however, when he and Tidus had slept out in the rain, had been the most vivid. Cloud wasn't even sure he could call them dreams. They were more like memories—re-enactments of events that had actually taken place. He felt like he had actually been there with Zack, under those stars with Zack's warm arms around him. In a way, the dream had been comforting, but the dream that had followed had killed any lingering warmth, and Cloud had instead been greeted with a cold reality that he just wasn't ready for. Seeing Zack's body lay frozen on the blood-smeared cliff... Cloud couldn't bear to think of it again.

He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, half-afraid he might even doze off and start dreaming where he sat. Bartz, still sitting beside him, glanced over at the sudden movement.

"You okay?" he asked, cocking his head to the side to get a better look at his obviously perturbed friend.

"Yeah. Just a bit tired, I guess," Cloud replied, running a hand through his spikes to try and make himself more alert.

"I can take over if you want to sleep," Bartz offered.

"No," Cloud said, quickly. "That's not necessary." Silence cut into their conversation only for a moment before Bartz could no longer suppress his worries.

"Has something been bothering you lately?" Bartz queried.

"No."

A knot quickly formed in Cloud's stomach. He didn't want to lie, but he figured it was better than explaining his dreams about Zack, even if Bartz had been understanding about their relationship in the past. Not long after they had met, Cloud had unintentionally alluded to his feelings for Zack, but Bartz had just smiled and told him it was okay for him to feel that way. Cloud appreciated Bartz's support, but it was certainly an awkward conversation he'd rather not repeat.

"Okay," the brunet replied, simply, giving Cloud a small smile.

Bartz wasn't surprised when their night-watch turned out to be a silent one after that, and he fell asleep within the hour, leaving Cloud to keep guard by himself. Cloud couldn't say he minded. Fending for himself was one thing he was pretty damn used to.

* * *

><p>"Tidus!"<p>

Tidus frowned and rolled over, trying to ignore the noises disrupting his sleep. Zidane rolled closer to the sleeping bag next to him and gently punched Tidus in the shoulder.

"Tidus, are you awake?" he whispered. Tidus reluctantly opened his eyes.

"I am now," he moaned, laying a hand over his eyes. "What are you doing up?"

"My leg's kinda sore. I couldn't sleep. Can you talk for a bit?" Zidane asked. Tidus momentarily lifted the hand from his eyes to see Zidane's pleading expression, then he sighed, his arm flopping back down to block out the moonlight.

"You've gotta be kidding me," he grumbled. "Fine."

Tidus yawned and rolled onto his side, rubbing his eyes before letting them focus on his friend. Zidane continued to lie in his sleeping bag, but he propped his head up on one elbow, enthusiastically.

"What's up?" Tidus asked.

"You tell me. What happened with Yuna?" Zidane inquired, raising a curious brow. Tidus swallowed hard.

"I don't want to talk about it. We talked. We're still broken up. That's all."

"Fine," Zidane sighed. He sucked in a breath as he pondered another topic of interest. Tidus looked like he might fall asleep again if he didn't speak fast.

"Alrighty. Then, how are things going with Cloud?" Tidus' eyes widened, and he glanced to the mouth of the alcove, expecting Cloud to be right there beside the sleeping Bartz.

"Don't worry," Zidane answered. "He went to scout the area."

"Man, I don't wanna talk. You woke me up for this?" Tidus whined, burying his head against his sleeping bag.

"Come on, talk to me," Zidane groaned.

Tidus glanced up at his friend, but was quick to avert his gaze, embarrassment getting the better of him. He let out a heavy breath before reluctantly opening his mouth.

"I'm getting nowhere fast," he admitted. "Half the time, I feel like he's mad at me."

"He acts mad around everyone," Zidane reminded him.

"Yeah, but, not everyone butts into his personal life like I do."

"Well, that could be true," Zidane laughed.

"I just can't tell how he feels about me," Tidus said, with a shrug.

"Why do you care so much?" Zidane asked.

"I don't know." Tidus' gaze was fixed on his sleeping bag, and he rubbed restlessly at his arm, like he was ashamed. Zidane frowned, analyzing him carefully.

"What?" Tidus asked, defensively. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Zidane's eyes opened wide as he realized he may have misunderstood Tidus' intentions from the start.

"Wait a sec. Do you _like_ him?" Zidane asked, cocking his head to the side. Tidus' gaze flew toward Zidane, then back down.

"I dunno," he replied, rubbing his arm even harder.

"You _do_!"

"No," Tidus shook his head, wildly.

"T? You're a terrible liar," Zidane said, frowning slightly. Tidus eyed his friend for a second or two before his gaze fell away again. His heart was pounding again. He'd been caught. No way could he lie his way out of it now.

"Okay," he sighed. "Maybe I do, but it might not even matter. He probably doesn't... swing that way," Tidus mumbled, sheepishly. Zidane sat up, now thoroughly intrigued—and a little shocked—by the conversation's turn of events. Tidus had never shown an interest in guys, himself. Zidane had never considered it a possibility until now.

"So, since when do _you_ swing that way?" Zidane tried, creasing a brow. Tidus shook his head timidly, not quite knowing how to answer that question. Zidane waved a hand dismissively.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter. You know, you could ask him about his ol' gal-pal, Tifa. Maybe she'll let something slip about his _preferences_," Zidane said. He saw Tidus gulp.

"You know, you're really good at starting awkward conversations," Tidus groaned, trying to hide his face against his sleeping bag again.

"Come on, man. I'm just trying to help," Zidane spoke up. Tidus still looked uneasy, his eyes fixed on the floor of the tent, so Zidane gave him a playful nudge. Tidus reluctantly looked up. Zidane didn't look like the news had fazed him.

"He let you bandage his arm, didn't he? And he let you tag along on the Malboro hunt. You might have a chance with him," Zidane grinned. Tidus sighed, and released a strained chuckle.

"Thanks. I think," he replied, nervously.

Cloud stood frighteningly still alongside the outside wall of the alcove. His heart was pounding, his stomach sinking. He wondered whether he had misheard, or misunderstood, but the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Tidus suddenly being so nice to him, and always being right beside him whenever he was in a pinch. Tidus asking him questions, and following him around. Cloud put a hand to his chest and tried to steady his breathing, but his fear was making it impossible. Did Tidus feel something for him?


	7. Break

**Chapter 7: Break**

Cloud sat stiffly against the outside wall of the alcove. Morning had arrived, yet Cloud still hadn't slept a wink. For once, he couldn't blame his insomnia on thoughts of the past; instead, his mind was fixed on the uncertain present. Over and over, hundreds of times, Cloud mulled over the words he had heard the night before. Tidus.

Tidus had an interest in him, but for what, Cloud couldn't be sure, even after the night's seven or eight hours of think-time. Was Tidus seeking his affections for a chance at sappy romance? Experimentation with another male? Maybe even a sensual affair? Or a deep and meaningful relationship? Cloud didn't want to come to a definite conclusion; it was impossible to do so, anyway, but considering how kind and helpful Tidus had been all along, Cloud wanted to believe it was the latter.

The recent dreams of Zack only seemed to make the situation with Tidus worse. It just reminded Cloud of the things he'd had and lost. He felt confident that no relationship would ever be as comforting or rewarding as the one he'd had with Zack. Cloud worried that if he even considered opening up to someone, he would lose that safe distance he kept between himself and others. He felt that accepting another person's comfort would weaken him, and Cloud didn't trust himself not to give in to such comfort.

What really scared Cloud was the realization that Tidus wasn't about to leave him alone. Tidus wanted to pry even further into his life, to discover if Cloud could, in fact, requite what Tidus felt for him. There would be more awkward moments when Tidus would offer help that Cloud didn't want to accept. There would be times when Tidus would follow him, and stare at him, and worst of all, ask more questions. How Cloud hated his questions.

Cloud was puzzled, confused, not knowing how to react to the situation. He valued his companions—he'd always valued Tidus—but he had never gone so far as to _care_ about them. Caring was much too dangerous, as Cloud's heart just couldn't take another beating if something were to happen to someone close to him. Cloud liked Tidus, but not enough to want to take a risk with him; he'd never thought about him as anything more than a companion before, and when it wasn't clear what Tidus' intentions were with him, Cloud figured the safest thing to do was to keep his distance. Cloud couldn't give Tidus the chance to imagine them together because, in Cloud's mind, there was no possibility of it ever happening.

Cloud let out a sigh. He would run. Perhaps it was the only way. It was the way he'd always dealt with things. He'd run away from home when it was too hard to take. He'd run from his friends when they tried to help him, or convince him that the tragedies that had taken place were not his fault. And now, he would run from Tidus.

Cloud pushed himself up off the ground in a hurry, knowing he would have to act fast before he changed his mind. He glanced at the sky. The sun was coming up. Bartz and the others would be awakening soon.

With quick, but quiet steps, Cloud entered the alcove, heart racing as he gathered up his few belongings as fast as he could. He felt confident in his decision now; he couldn't face a confrontation with Tidus. Even if Tidus did have feelings for him, there was no way Cloud could reciprocate those sentiments, no matter what Tidus' intentions were. He would have to let Tidus know that, and he definitely wasn't ready to have that conversation, regardless of which one of them started it. He hated himself for leaving his friends without a word, but he didn't see another option. He didn't want to break Tidus' heart.

"What are you doing, Cloud?" Bartz asked, yawning as he heard Cloud's footsteps. He was still collapsed against the outside wall of the alcove, but when he looked to see Cloud emerging from within the recess, his bedroll slung over his shoulder and his weapon in hand, his eyes widened.

"You can't leave!" he shouted.

"I'm sure Laguna will stay with you and the others until Zidane is healed. You'll be fine," Cloud assured him.

"But I don't get it," Bartz started, rushing to his feet. "Why leave now?"

Cloud hesitated. He glanced behind him to where Zidane and Tidus were still sleeping soundly. Tidus was curled up with his knees tucked up nearly to his chest, mouth parted slightly as he slept. He looked so innocent, so unaware of the pain he was causing. Cloud met Bartz's eyes for a moment, then slung the Buster sword onto his back.

"I just can't stay here. Take care of yourselves," Cloud said.

"Come on, Cloud, wait!" Bartz begged, reaching out to take Cloud's arm.

"Wha's going on?" Zidane asked, tiredly, rolling over in his sleeping bag.

"Cloud's trying to make a getaway!" Bartz yelled.

"What?" Zidane shouted, pushing himself into a sitting position. He gave Tidus a good shove to wake him up, too.

"Hey," Tidus moaned, raising his head up to search for the cause of his interrupted sleep.

"Cloud's trying to leave," Zidane frowned.

"Huh?" Tidus sat up immediately, his puffy, sleepy eyes snapping open as his gaze shot toward Cloud. The man was standing at the mouth of the alcove, looking ashamed. He shook his arm, trying to get Bartz to let go, but it did no good.

Tidus scrambled out of his sleeping bag and stood with his eyes locked on the Ex-SOLDIER, a frantic look on his face. Cloud wished he could escape Tidus' pain-filled stare, but he couldn't look away. He was too afraid of what might happen if he did.

"Why?" Tidus asked. Cloud could easily identify the hurt in his weak voice.

"There are some things I need to take care of. It's better if I go on alone," Cloud replied, managing to break free of Tidus' gaze and lowering his head.

"I'm going with you," Tidus said, immediately.

"You can't," Cloud answered, just as quickly. Tidus stared at him for a long moment, the expression on his face growing more bewildered by the second.

"I thought we were going to find Firion and Cecil together."

"That's no longer my priority. I'm going to find my crystal so we can get out of this world as soon as possible," Cloud said, his heart aching a little. The look on Tidus' face punched his insides with guilt.

"Come on, Cloud. We can _help each other_ find our crystals," Bartz spoke up, when the others seemed to be lost for words.

"Look, I have to do this on my own," Cloud said, finally pulling his arm free of Bartz's hold. He quickly strode away from the alcove, and this time, no one bothered to stop him. Not even Tidus.

Tidus moved a foot forward, but caught himself. Cloud seemed pretty determined to escape. He'd had a perturbed look on his face that Tidus had never seen before. Maybe Tidus could help ease his mind, but then again, maybe he couldn't. Cloud had made it quite clear that he didn't want to be followed.

The three left behind remained still for a minute, exchanging defeated glances. Tidus made his way back over to his sleeping bag and slumped down onto it. He sat campfire-style, his shaking hands clutching his ankles tightly.

"Guess he really got tired of us," Tidus sighed, shakily, as he stared down at his bedroll. There was a hint of a chuckle in his voice, but Zidane could hear how sad that laughter was. Zidane carefully lowered himself to his knees, and slung an arm around Tidus' shoulder.

"Hey, man. It'll be okay," he encouraged. Bartz walked deeper into the alcove and sat down with the others.

"He'll be back. He'll get bored without us," he smiled.

"Somehow, I really doubt it," Tidus said, shaking his head. "I don't think he'll be back."

* * *

><p>"Why so glum, chum?" Laguna asked, from his position around the fire, as the group chowed down on their breakfast that morning. Tidus was lacking his normally huge appetite, and his solemn mood was showing big time. Zidane took a bite of his bread, and gave Tidus a brotherly pat on the back.<p>

"His pal ditched 'im," he answered, mouth full. Tidus knew Zidane was just trying to make light of the situation for his sake, but it didn't make the words hurt any less; they were the truth, after all.

"I'm sure he'll be back," Yuna spoke up in her gentle voice, causing Tidus to look up in surprise. It was just like her, to be so sweet like that even after he'd hurt her so much. Her eyes flickered away when she saw Tidus' gaze rest on her, and she took a small bite of her bread to preoccupy herself.

"That's what I keep telling him, but will he listen? No," Bartz smiled, giving Tidus a friendly nudge in the arm. Tidus forced a tiny smile, but his eyes remained on the ground.

"So, Zidane. How's that leg?" Laguna asked.

"Getting better. I limped my way out here on my own, so that's progress," he smiled, pounding his fists together. He heard Tidus sigh beside him, and he watched as his posture fell even further into a slouch.

"Tidus, man, why don't you just go after him?" Zidane whispered, as the others broke into another conversation. Tidus glanced in his direction.

"Because he doesn't want me to," he replied.

"Who cares?" Zidane smiled. "If you want to go after him, go. Any good friend would do the same," the boy continued, almost making Tidus want to reconsider.

"But, what if—" Tidus started, but Zidane wouldn't have any of his questions.

"He can't stop you from tagging along. Besides, he'll thank you later when you're saving his ass," the boy smirked. Tidus let out a small chuckle, but quickly lowered his eyes to the ground again.

"Thanks, Zidane, but I don't think it's a good idea. I'll just end up annoying him more."

"It's your choice, bud, but if I were you, I know what I'd do," Zidane told him.

Tidus stared down at the barely eaten bread in his hands. If Zidane would have followed, did that mean Tidus should do the same? Certainly, Tidus was every bit as brave as Zidane, every bit as determined. And Tidus sure didn't want to give up on Cloud, not yet. It was too early in the game to call it quits.

"Do you think I should?" Tidus asked.

"He's gonna need back-up when the manikins show up again," Zidane shrugged. "Use that as your reason for following him."

Tidus nodded slowly, sort of liking the sound of that.

"Fine," he reluctantly agreed. "But I'm blaming you if this turns out to be a bad idea," he whispered, getting up from the ground and brushing himself off.

"Yeah, yeah. Now, go get him," Zidane grinned.

* * *

><p>The cool breeze was refreshing as Cloud walked through the field, a nice contrast to the warm sun on his skin. Cloud was thankful to have more time on his own to think. Everything had happened in such a blur. Cloud felt like a wrench had been thrown into his heart. Now that he had succeeded in placing a distance between himself and the others, new thoughts began to fall into place, and he took a deeper look into the situation. Everything was different now.<p>

Tidus had been a loyal companion for months, and Cloud had trusted him in and out of combat, but the thought that Tidus might never have been looking for a mere companionship scared Cloud. It wasn't Tidus' feelings for him that he found so unnerving; it was the fact that Tidus had somehow managed to fall for him when he didn't feel like he'd done anything to deserve it. Cloud had closed himself off, and he thought he'd done it well enough to prevent anyone from slipping in, from _seeing_ him. Apparently, his walls weren't as strong as he'd thought they were.

Cloud felt vulnerable. Someone had penetrated his shield, the one thing protecting him from hurt and heartache and everything that came with getting close to people. Being with Zack had been different. Back then, Cloud hadn't needed to be afraid. He hadn't known what kind of dangers came with giving his heart to someone. Zack had embraced everything he was, and had loved him with everything he had, but perhaps they had been _too_ in love. Perhaps Zack could have lived if he and Cloud hadn't...

Cloud shook his head. He couldn't think of such things. There was nothing he could do that would change any of that anyway, and no matter how badly things had ended, he couldn't bring himself to regret his time with Zack. Still, he wasn't about to risk falling for someone again. There was no way he could handle such a great loss a second time.

"Cloud! Cloud, wait up!" Tidus yelled, as he ran. Cloud felt his heart sink as he heard his comrade behind him. He pushed his thoughts aside and kept his eyes on the road ahead, hoping he could walk quickly enough to escape Tidus' pursuit. Unfortunately for him, Tidus reached him much faster than he'd anticipated, and Cloud felt obligated to halt.

"Man, you walk fast," Tidus panted, his hands on his knees as he stood beside Cloud. Cloud tried his hardest to form some sort of sentence, but his nerves crept up on him. His brain kept telling him that things had changed between him and Tidus. Tidus _wanted_ something from Cloud, something that Cloud couldn't give him.

"I don't need you to follow me," Cloud managed, watching the young man as he stood up straight again, looking as good as new after his long run.

"I know, but I'm following you anyway," Tidus said, forcing a confident smile, which earned a small look of disappointment from Cloud. Tidus tried not to let it bother him. He knew he would have to play it cool from here on out if he wanted to get close to Cloud; he couldn't take everything so personally.

Cloud ignored Tidus, and tried to regain his composure as he started on his way again. Tidus jogged a few steps to catch up with him again.

"Stop trying to run away, will ya?" Tidus said, walking backwards in front of Cloud so he could keep him from running off.

"The others will need your help more than I do," Cloud mumbled, sounding more convincing this time, but Tidus shook his head, not buying his lie.

"Nice try, mister, but there's four of them and only one of you. I'm staying right here."

Being with Tidus shouldn't have felt as strained as it did, after travelling together for so long. Tidus had no idea that Cloud had overheard his conversation with Zidane. Nothing should have felt different, but it did.

"Look, I left so I could be alone. I'm telling you, go back to the others," Cloud spoke up again.

"But why? I don't get why you just up and left like that. What happened?" Tidus asked, desperation in his voice.

"I don't want to talk about this," Cloud insisted, walking faster. Tidus only trotted ahead of him and stopped him in his tracks.

"Cloud, come on. I can see not wanting to travel in a group of six, but I thought you and I were a team," he said, his brows creased upward in dismay.

"That's just it."

"What?"

"We're not a team, Tidus," Cloud frowned, his voice harsh and stern. "We were never a team. We ended up in that canyon together _by accident_, not by choice." Tidus had no idea why Cloud would say such a thing. He swallowed hard, and tried not to let show just how much those words hurt.

"What, did you suddenly just get sick of me or something? What did I do to piss you off so much?" he demanded, making sure his voice was just as fierce as Cloud's.

"I realize you're hoping something will happen between us, but... I don't feel anything for you," Cloud announced, making his heart lurch along with Tidus'. He hadn't wanted to say it, but the words had rushed out before he could stop to consider another option. He paused, and watched Tidus carefully, awaiting his reaction.

Tidus stood frighteningly still, trying to let the meaning of those words settle in his brain. _Has he found me out?_ his mind panicked. Cloud was staring at him hard.

"What? What are you talking about?" Tidus asked, pretending to laugh it off.

"Last night. I heard some things," Cloud continued. Tidus instantly stopped chuckling, a look of dread appearing on his face.

"W-when I was talking with Zidane?" he asked. Cloud nodded.

"Oh..." Tidus hesitated. He could feel Cloud's eyes still boring into him, and he wished his emotions weren't written all over his face. How could he hide when Cloud knew everything? Perhaps it was easier to come clean.

"Look, Cloud, nothing has to change between us. I want to continue to be here for you as your friend. I mean, we're at least friends, right?" Tidus asked, panic bubbling up inside him. Cloud's blood seemed to go cold at those words. _'We're friends, right?' _Cloud turned pale. _Zack..._

Suddenly, Cloud was lost for words. He didn't know how he felt. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how he felt about Tidus at all.

"Are we even friends?" Tidus asked quietly, feeling defeated when Cloud didn't answer.

"Friendship isn't what you're after, is it?" Cloud tried, still not fully facing Tidus. He could just make him out in the corner of his eye.

"Cloud..."

"Is it?" Cloud repeated, fiercer this time.

"I didn't want you to find out this way... and so soon," Tidus whispered. After a moment, he forced some volume into his voice, hoping to sound confident. "I feel something for you. I do."

"How does Yuna fit into this?" Cloud asked, causing the shocked look to reappear on Tidus' face.

"Yuna?" Tidus practically choked out. He paused for a long moment, then he hung his head low, looking as if he were ashamed to continue.

"I loved Yuna. I loved her so much, but things changed. _She_ changed, and I... I wasn't sure how I felt about her anymore..." he trailed off. Tidus was silent for a moment, and continued to hide his face as he tried to figure out what to say next.

"But, she and I are over, Cloud." The older man watched the younger silently, unable to come up with a reply.

"Cloud, I want to be part of your life. I guess I'm just not sure where I fit in," Tidus said, quietly, his gaze flickering from Cloud to his surroundings.

"You don't," Cloud uttered. Tidus felt cold.

"What?" he asked, though his voice was starting to fail him now.

"You don't fit in," Cloud repeated. Then he walked off ahead, leaving Tidus standing shaking.

Cloud had to believe he was doing the right thing. Letting Tidus down now would hurt a lot less than if he waited until later. Tidus watched Cloud's figure grow smaller and smaller as it went off into the distance. This time, he didn't have the strength nor the will to follow. _I'm sorry, Tidus,_ Cloud thought as he walked, each step like ice beneath his feet. _I just don't want you to get your hopes up. _

* * *

><p>Tidus kicked a rock, hard enough to send it flying several metres away from him. He sighed and put a hand to his head, trying not to let his emotions get the better of him. He felt helpless, like all his efforts had been useless. Why was it that he had even tried to get close to Cloud? He thought back to that night at the campfire, when he and Cloud had stayed up to watch the sunrise. It was all because of that one stupid smile, and from there, everything had grown. Tidus wondered why that one smile had drawn him in, but it didn't take him long to come up with the answer. He had thought about it a hundred times.<p>

That had been the first real smile Tidus had ever seen Cloud give. It wasn't one of those false half-smiles that always left Tidus feeling empty and longing for more. No, this one had filled his heart, had made him see Cloud in a different light. Before that night, he'd never seen Cloud happy; he hadn't even known he was capable of the emotion. Since then, all he had wanted was to help Cloud find and sustain that happiness that was buried inside of him. He wanted to be there for him every step of the way as he healed from whatever it was that made him so cold and distant.

Maybe none of it mattered now. Cloud didn't think of him as anything more than a fellow warrior. They weren't friends. They weren't a team. Cloud wasn't interested in him tagging along with him any longer, and maybe that would have been the case even if Cloud hadn't found out about his true feelings. What was the point in fighting for him? Cloud didn't want to be saved.

Tidus heaved another sigh as he approached the alcove. Bartz and Zidane were still sitting around the fire, but Laguna and Yuna were nowhere in sight, their tent empty and silent. Tidus assumed they were out collecting food or something, and was thankful not to have the extra pairs of eyes on him as he gloomily trudged forward. Zidane's head shot up at the sound of his friend approaching. His expression immediately turned to one of concern. It was obvious from the look on his face that Tidus was distraught. Zidane tried his best to push himself up off the ground, and Bartz helped him to stand.

"What happened?" he asked, limping over to where Tidus was approaching. Tidus shook his head.

"I don't wanna talk about it. I think I'm just gonna get some rest," he replied, forcing a false smile as he brushed past his companions. Bartz and Zidane exchanged worried glances.

Tidus entered the alcove and leaned his sword against the wall before pulling the bedroll off his back. He swiftly set it up and squirmed his way into it, curling into its warmth. He closed his eyes and tried to push thoughts of Cloud out of his head, but the image of him remained in the front of his mind. His shining gold hair, his stunning blue eyes, his fair skin and small smile. Tidus shut his eyes even tighter and pulled his sleeping bag over his head, then waited until the warmth of his cocoon made him drowsy enough to fall into a light sleep.

* * *

><p>The smell of the same sketchy meat from the night before woke Tidus from his slumber. He cast a glance outside and saw Laguna preparing supper, his companions all around him. He regretted looking out when he saw Bartz catch his eye. Tidus ran a hand through his hair and pretended to adjust himself for sleep again. To his dismay, Bartz politely excused himself from the rest of the party and entered the alcove. He sat himself down in the corner, his legs sprawled out in front of him and his weight on his hands behind him.<p>

"Good sleep?" he asked.

"Not the best," Tidus replied, cynically.

"Something on your mind?"

"No," Tidus grimaced.

"I talked to Zidane," Bartz began, but was interrupted by a loud groan.

"He told you?" Tidus whined.

"You were acting so strangely, I just had to ask. And Zidane isn't so good at keeping secrets," the brunet confessed.

"Dammit," Tidus muttered.

"Hey, I just want to help," Bartz told him. Tidus eventually looked up, and the sincere expression on Bartz's face actually made him want to start talking. Finally, he sat up, pushing his sleeping bag down to his ankles, and tugging his knees up to his chest. He was silent for a long moment, but Bartz sat patiently waiting.

"I jdon't know what to think," Tidus said. "I mean, Cloud seems so lonely sometimes. You'd think he'd want someone with him, you know? And I thought he at least thought of me as a friend, but... he doesn't even seem to feel that," Tidus went on. He could feel his arms tightening around his knees, the awkwardness of the conversation making it hard to relax.

"Maybe I'm not his type."

"You don't have to worry," Bartz spoke up. "He plays for your team." Bartz felt Tidus' gaze travel in his direction.

"What? How do _you_ know?" Tidus asked, blinking in surprise.

"We talked about it once."

"Cloud... opened up to _you _about something like _that_?!" Tidus felt like he might topple over from the shock.

"Don't be mad. It just kind of slipped out. He didn't mean to tell me," Bartz smiled, waving his hands up in a surrendering motion. Tidus was speechless for a moment, completely baffled by how a topic like that could possibly come up between the two.

"I can't believe it," Tidus almost whispered, his face twisted into a confused expression at first, then it saddened. Bartz realized what must have been going through his friend's head.

"No worries, Tidus. _I'm_ certainly not his type," he promised, flashing an encouraging smile.

"How do you know that? He talked to you about something really personal. With me, he's hardly ever..."

"He's quiet, yeah, but he likes you. You two have always been kind to each other."

"If he likes me, then how come he's pushing me away?" Tidus asked, sighing.

"I think you just need to take your time with him. He'll come around," Bartz assured him. Tidus was quiet again, thinking hard. It certainly didn't seem like Cloud would change his mind about him. The things he'd said before he'd walked off... It was obvious he didn't want Tidus anywhere near him.

"I don't know," Tidus eventually sighed.

"Well, don't worry about it now. Come get something to eat. It might be a good distraction," Bartz said, pulling Tidus to his feet.

"Fine, but you better keep this to yourself," the blond replied.

"Cross my heart," Bartz smiled.


	8. Battered

**Chapter 8: Battered**

Morning came, and Tidus still felt as miserable as he had the day before, the pain of Cloud's words still dragging him down like a weight. In some ways, he wished he could let it all go, all the anger, all the sadness, and all the feelings he'd ever had for Cloud in the first place. In other ways, he felt even more determined to tear down Cloud's cold exterior, and make Cloud realize that things could be better with someone by his side.

At the moment, though, Tidus was unsure of the correct option, and with Cloud nowhere nearby, he couldn't really settle for either one. He was as torn and confused as ever, and although he tried hard to force a smile for his friends, his despondency was still painfully obvious.

By mid-afternoon, Laguna became a little restless hanging around the campsite, and he convinced Yuna to go with him in search of food. Zidane whined and begged to tag along, but with his leg still on the mend, everyone insisted he stay put. Now, he sat in front of the unlit fire, arms folded and a frown on his face.

Tidus came to join him after freshening up at the waterfall, and he almost wanted to laugh at the pout on Zidane's face, except he was sure he had worn the exact same expression earlier that day.

"I'm sure it'll heal soon," Tidus said, linking his hands around his knees as he sat beside his friend.

"Yeah, sure," Zidane groaned, rolling his eyes. Bartz emerged from the alcove, and sat down with the other two, his dependable smile on his face.

"You two sure look cheery," he teased, glancing between his two solemn companions.

"I wanted to go with them," Zidane muttered, his frown increasing.

"I know, bud," Bartz sighed. "And what about you? You're not feeling any better, are you?" he asked, turning his attention to Tidus. The young man's gaze flickered up, and fluttered away just as fast.

"I dunno," Tidus uttered.

"I'm sure Cloud'll come around," Bartz said. Zidane's interest had obviously been piqued by the change in conversation, as he immediately perked up.

"What happened yesterday?" he asked.

"I still don't want to talk about it," Tidus answered, his eyes fixed on the grass in front of him.

"Did he say something when you went after him?" Zidane pressed on.

"He heard us talking the other night. He knows how I feel," Tidus admitted, causing Zidane's jaw to drop. "And he didn't take it well. That's all I'm gonna say."

"I'm sorry, Tidus," Zidane said.

"It's not your fault," Tidus replied, though part of him did want to blame Zidane for opening his big mouth that night. Not that it would have made things any better. Cloud was gone.

"What are you gonna do now?" Bartz asked, eyes full of concern.

"No idea," Tidus answered, getting up from his spot on the ground and brushing himself off. "I just feel so useless sitting here doing nothing. And it's really bothering me to think that Cloud's out there on his own. I don't wanna go charging after him again, but..." he trailed off, starting to pace back and forth in front of the campfire. Bartz put a hand to his chin, looking thoughtful.

"Maybe you need some time on your own. Cloud's probably had lots of time to think. Maybe that's what you need, too," Bartz said.

"What are you suggesting?" Tidus asked, continuing to pace.

Bartz got up and grabbed Tidus by the shoulders, bringing him to a halt. Tidus widened his eyes, clearly confused by Bartz's actions. Bartz handed him his sword off the ground, and started herding him in the direction of the forest.

"Go. Take a walk. Think. Breathe," he smiled, giving Tidus a gentle shove toward the trees, making him trip a few steps forward. Tidus rubbed the back of his head once he caught his footing.

"You could have just asked. I'm not a cow," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Bartz smirked. "Just go and take your time. Weigh out your options. You'll feel better if you have time to clear your head."

"Okay, okay. Seems like you really wanna get rid of me," Tidus smirked back.

"Just go," Zidane and Bartz laughed in unison.

* * *

><p>The walk turned out to be somewhat useful, as Tidus was able to relax more than he had since he'd last talked to Cloud, but he regretted taking Bartz's advice as soon as the fog began to roll in. It was thick, just as it had been when he and Cloud had gone off in search of the Malboro. Unfortunately, finding his way back was proving to be far more difficult than he had anticipated, and he was sure evening would soon be on its way.<p>

His mind had been filled yet again with thoughts of Cloud, this time with the possibilities that they could have had, or the times when Tidus could have done something to avoid the situation they were in now. He knew it was stupid to be thinking about other ways he could have confessed his feelings for Cloud, especially now that there was no way to go back and change it, but he couldn't help but wonder if Cloud's reaction would have been different if he'd found out under different circumstances.

No matter how hard or long he thought, however, he had no clear indication of what he should do next, or even what he _wanted_ to do. He had no idea how well Cloud would accept his advances, were he to make any more. He didn't know if he should even try to find Cloud again. Perhaps he'd ruined their chances already.

Tidus stopped walking for a moment and folded his arms, trying for what seemed like the millionth time to find the right way to the waterfall. It was no use. Even if his brain hadn't been so muddled, he wouldn't have been able to find his way back. The fog was too thick and everything in the forest looked the same, just as before. Frustrated, he plopped himself down on the ground, sitting campfire-style, as was a habit of his.

He let out a huge sigh as he contemplated his best course of action. Wait until the fog let up? Who knew how long that would take. Keep trekking along in hopes of reaching his destination? That didn't sound like a viable option either. It could end up leading him farther away.

Tidus broke out of his thoughts as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He rose to his feet, swiftly drawing his sword. He scanned the area, but saw nothing. He jumped as he caught another glimpse of motion, and his eyes came to rest on a young woman standing a few feet away. Her hair was a combination of mixed blonds, like Tidus'. Her blue eyes met those of the young man and she smiled softly at him. Tidus felt his mouth go dry, and he felt so unsure, so naive as he asked,

"Mom?"

The woman simply smiled and strode toward him, her long yellow dress billowing unnaturally around her ankles. Tidus felt hesitant to let down his guard as she approached, but the woman didn't look threatened. She stepped, closer, closer. She looked so familiar that Tidus didn't stop her when she fearlessly put a hand to his cheek.

"You sure have grown," she smiled. Tidus swallowed hard, unable to react. His mother was dead, yet here she was, talking to him, touching him. A ghost, perhaps?

"Mom?" he repeated. She smiled softly, her eyes wrinkling into small slits as a chuckle emerged from her throat.

"What's wrong, Tidus? Surprised to see me?" she asked. Tidus blinked a couple of times and turned his head to break away from her touch, reality sinking in that this couldn't be real. He backed away so he could analyze her more carefully. He felt as if his words might get stuck in his throat.

"Well, yeah, actually," he eventually replied.

"I know it's been some time," she said, looking guilty as she stared at the ground.

"You're not supposed to be here. You died," Tidus said, his face scrunched into a look of confusion and distrust. The woman only smiled at her son once again.

"I came to tell you something," she said, taking another step towards her son, causing Tidus to take one step back, wanting to maintain a safe distance between them.

"What?" Tidus asked, feeling more and more unsettled by the second.

"I need you to join your father. I need you to fight alongside him with Chaos," she whispered. Tidus' blood ran cold.

* * *

><p>Tidus felt like his heart might explode from running so fast. His lungs felt like they had been overfilled with air. He could taste the blood from his busted lip, the sickly metallic taste making him want to throw up. Still, he ran through the thinning fog. He was shocked when he didn't see anyone around the campfire. He swallowed hard, dread overtaking him.<p>

"Guys!" Tidus shouted, in hopes that his friends would appear. He let out a small sigh of relief when Zidane and Bartz emerged from the alcove, along with Yuna and Laguna. Their faces bore a few cuts and their clothes were a little torn. Obviously, they had also been found.

"Did you see... ghosts, too?" Tidus asked.

"We saw _something_. Are you okay?" Bartz asked, looking Tidus over quickly to make sure he wasn't seriously injured. He noticed Tidus' few minor injuries, but he didn't look nearly as beaten as he and Zidane were.

"I'm fine," Tidus replied.

"Those people... They were..." Yuna spoke up.

"With Chaos, I know," Tidus answered, sensing the sadness in the girl's voice. She had seen Braska; Tidus was almost positive. Knowing that made him feel a little better. If she'd seen her long deceased parent, it probably meant Tidus wasn't going mad. Or if he was, at least he wasn't the only one.

"Cloud... didn't come back here by any chance, did he?" Tidus started, but trailed off when the majority of them shook their heads.

"He's not with us," Zidane answered, concern spreading across his features, for he was sure Tidus would start to worry.

"Dammit," Tidus muttered, glancing around once again.

"You thought he might come back if there was trouble?" Laguna asked.

"I _hoped _he would," Tidus said, through gritted teeth, the anxiety driving him crazy.

"He's probably okay. They might not have found him," Bartz tried to convince him, but Tidus had already turned to leave.

"I can't take that chance!" he shouted, his feet feeling far more sure than his mind did.

"Be careful," Zidane warned, as Tidus took off at a run. Tidus didn't know where to start looking, but he hoped his legs would carry him fast enough to find Cloud before it was too late.

* * *

><p>Cloud froze at the sight of the figure before him. The grip on his sword loosened. He tried to keep himself steady, attempting to at least <em>look<em> threatening.

"Why the long face, partner?" Cloud felt his heart begin to race at the sound of that familiar voice. Without even thinking, he felt his lips start to form that name.

"Z...Za—"

"That's right. You remember me, don't you?" Zack asked, hands on his hips, a soft smile on his face. Cloud's mind tried to rationalize what he was seeing. This had to be a trick.

"You're not real," Cloud said, voice firm. He kept his sword raised, steadier now than he had been seconds before.

"Not real?" Zack repeated. He took a few steps forward. Cloud's heart leapt. Zack reached for Cloud's hair, but Cloud stepped back before Zack could give it a ruffle. He smiled, but Cloud found himself unable to smile back.

"You're dead," the blond said. Zack frowned.

"Dead, yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm not here." Cloud was silent, his brows furrowed. Something about this wasn't right. Why would Zack come and find him here? _How_ could he?

"Zack?" Cloud repeated.

"Yeah, it's me," Zack smiled, proceeding toward the Ex-SOLDIER. Cloud closed his eyes when he saw Zack reaching out for him again. He felt that familiar hand at the side of his face. Zack's fingers stroked his hair, then ran down his cheek and jaw, causing a plethora of memories and emotions to rush through Cloud's brain. His body felt weak with the familiarity of it all.

"I don't understand why you're here," Cloud uttered, not wanting to break this precious moment, but knowing he had to. He couldn't let this continue until he knew what his partner was doing here.

"You wanted me here, didn't you?" Zack asked.

Cloud swallowed. Of course he wanted him here. He wished for it every day, but that was what didn't make sense. He had prayed so many times for Zack to come back to him, but why would he decide to come back now? Cloud wasn't even in his homeworld. But if there was even a chance that this was real, how could Cloud possibly ruin this moment?

"I did. I mean, I do," Cloud whispered. He didn't know how else to respond.

"You're exactly how I remembered you," Zack whispered, stroking Cloud's cheek once again, causing Cloud to close his eyes and just soak up the feeling of Zack's touch.

"So are you," Cloud replied, his voice so very meek.

Tidus continued to run, his breath getting stuck in his lungs and causing his heart to pound. His chest hurt from breathing so hard. Still, he only stopped for a few seconds at a time, just enough for him to let out a few good exhales before taking off again. Even now that the fog had thinned, it was hard to tell which paths he had already crossed. Every time he paused for a breath, he listened carefully to the sounds around him, hoping to catch even a slight rustle that could possibly be caused by his companion. Cloud had only had a day's worth of travel time; Tidus just hoped he would still be near enough for him to catch up.

Tidus was finally forced to stop running. His legs were killing him. His chest was burning. His arms felt weak. He fell to his knees, and focused on taking long, deep breaths. Even if he found Cloud, he needed to be ready to fight. He knew it would be beneficial to take a few minutes to recover before charging into what he suspected might be the midst of battle.

_Inhale. Exhale._ Tidus repeated the words slowly in his head, breathing steadily in and out. Suddenly, he found himself wondering why he had, without a moment's hesitation, followed after Cloud when their last conversation had gone so poorly, and when Tidus had been so unsure whether or not pursuing Cloud would be a smart move. Tidus didn't know what he would do or say when he found Cloud. _It doesn't matter_, Tidus thought, shaking his head. It didn't matter if Cloud didn't want anything to do with him. It didn't matter if he wanted Tidus to stay away from then on. Cloud was still Tidus' friend, whether he wanted to be or not. And if Cloud was in danger, then, hell, Tidus would be there to help him.

Tidus held his breath. He could hear something off in the distance. He listened hard, his eyes closed so he could focus. He could hear voices. They were distant, and muffled, but yes, there were definitely voices. Tidus pushed himself up off the ground and adjusted the sword at his side before taking off at a run once again.

"Zack, I'm so tired," Cloud said, weakly.

"Tired? Then, let's find somewhere for you to sleep," Zack replied, a small smile on his face. His response was so childlike, so much like the Zack that Cloud remembered. It was so calming to Cloud.

"No, I mean... I'm tired. Weary of this constant fighting," Cloud tried to explain. Zack's mako blue eyes watched him carefully for a moment, then the SOLDIER sighed.

"Maybe your fight is over," he said, gently. "Maybe it's time you came with me."

"With you? To... the Lifestream?" Cloud questioned, cocking his head to the side. His face twisted into a nervous expression.

"Yeah. I mean, you did what you set out to do. You saved a lot of people back home, Cloud," Zack reminded him.

"I did, but I have a mission here, too," Cloud replied. His mind flickered back to his companions, to Cosmos, to where he thought he'd find purpose, but instead, he found the opposite. Cosmos had plenty of warriors. Sure, Cloud could certainly help with the fighting, but he doubted he would be the determining factor in them winning or losing this war. And when he considered the situation with Tidus, it just made things clearer: it was so much easier to run.

"Things are better where I am. We'd be together," Zack went on, when Cloud had nothing more to say.

Cloud looked up, a little startled. Zack was serious about this, and those words were an instant red flag in Cloud's brain, but Cloud tried not to focus on it. Deep in his heart, Cloud knew Zack would never say those things, but right now, his emotions were running far too high to think rationally. Part of him ignored the fact that this couldn't be Zack; the other part of him didn't care.

Zack never would have wanted Cloud to give up his life. Of course, he would have wanted Cloud alongside him, but in due time. Cloud could live his life first, and join him later. Zack would still be waiting for him in the Lifestream when his time came, but having Zack here right now, allowing him to give up the fight... It was so comforting. Cloud welcomed it.

So much time had gone by when all Cloud wanted was to give up, but he couldn't be so selfish. He couldn't just die after Zack had so valiantly given his life to save his. But if Zack said it was okay to join him now... How could Cloud possibly say no?

* * *

><p>Tidus stopped running when the trees began to clear. Up ahead, he could see where the forest ended and the land protruded into a cliff. Out near the end of the cliff, Tidus could see two figures. The dark-haired man, Tidus didn't recognize, but the other...<p>

Tidus' heart leapt as he watched the dark-haired figure walk off the cliff, as if on air. He was clearly a foot or two off the edge, but was perfectly, though inexplicably stable as he turned to the man behind him. He stretched out a hand, offering it to Cloud. Cloud hesitated, but Tidus soon saw him reaching out to accept that hand—the hand that would lead him to his death.

"Cloud!" Tidus shouted, unable to restrain himself any longer as he ran toward his friend. Cloud glanced behind him, but quickly looked back at the other figure.

"Follow me," the man instructed. Cloud took a step forward.

"Cloud, don't!" Tidus yelled, closing the distance between himself and Cloud now.

"I have to," Cloud replied, simply, his voice sounding like he was in a trance.

"Cloud! You'll die if you take another step!" Tidus' voice was panicked now, but it didn't seem to have any effect on Cloud.

Tidus didn't understand what was wrong, why Cloud wasn't terrified that a grave of water and rocks were all that would greet him once he proceeded into that sixty-foot drop. The dark-haired figure held Cloud's hand tightly within his own, but Tidus grabbed onto Cloud's free hand.

"Let go," Cloud ordered, tugging away from Tidus. "I need to go with Zack." Tidus froze.

"Zack?" he repeated, softly. So, this was him.

"Come on, Cloud," Zack said, a smile on his kind face. That smile made Tidus furious.

Tidus shook off his shock, and let go of Cloud's hand, drawing his sword instead. He felt Cloud moving beside him, trying to stop him, but Cloud wasn't fast enough. Tidus raised his sword and swung it several times, watching as it went through the figure. Cloud's hand was left empty, and he opened and closed it a few times in confusion, feeling for the contact that had been warming his palm just seconds ago.

Every time Tidus' blade looked like it would hit the ghostly form, it turned to a smoke-like substance, and the weapon would pass right through the figure before it re-assembled itself. Cloud tugged at Tidus' clothing, trying yet again to stop him from attacking his dead lover, but Tidus pushed Cloud backwards onto the ground.

"Get outta here, you!" Tidus yelled, summoning all his strength and swinging his sword once more through the ghost, careful not to fall off the edge of the steep cliff. Cloud looked up from his position on the ground, watching as Zack's one last smile disappeared as Tidus' blade entered and shattered the form.

"Zack?" Cloud asked, quietly. Tidus turned to him, watching him. Cloud's eyes were wide, looking expectant at first, as if he was waiting for the figure to reappear.

"Zack?" he repeated, softer this time. Those wide eyes changed, looking shocked, then devastated.

"Zack!" he shouted now. "Zack!"

Tidus knelt down in front of him, preventing him from getting any closer to the cliff. Cloud merely struggled against him, trying to break free. Tidus tried to ignore the repetitions of Zack's name, Cloud's calls that were nearly screams now. Tidus knew Cloud's mind was somewhere else, somewhere far from the Cloud he knew. Cloud would hurt him if he continued to stand in his way, but he couldn't let him near that cliff. He would jump if he did.

Cloud continued to fight against Tidus, but the younger blond wrapped his arms around Cloud's body, holding his arms still so he could no longer struggle. Cloud continued his attempts to move, but Tidus managed to keep him still in his embrace.

"Shh... You're okay," Tidus whispered into Cloud's ear, hoping it would calm him. Cloud continued fidgeting, but after several long, silent moments, his struggles died down.

"I'm here. You're okay," Tidus murmured. He was shocked when he felt Cloud relaxing. He didn't expect his voice would soothe him when he was so worked up, but he decided not to dwell on that success. It could be short-lived, after all. Cloud could still bolt if given the chance.

Several minutes passed, and Tidus continued to whisper comforting words to his friend. The man had ceased to move, and Tidus could tell from the change in the way Cloud's head rested limply against his shoulder that he was coming back to his senses. The Cloud he knew was returning to him.

Cloud could feel Tidus' arms around him now. He closed his eyes, tried his best not to let his emotions show, but tears fought hard against him. Those tears had been fighting to break free for months, and not once had he let them go. Still, he wouldn't let himself cry. Not now, not ever.

"Chaos is toying with us," Tidus whispered. "They tried to trick us, too."

Cloud stayed quiet, motionless in Tidus' arms. He thought about how the scene might have appeared to someone else, what he looked like being held by his younger companion. They might have looked funny; Cloud wasn't quite sure. It felt okay, though. That small comfort might have been the only thing helping him keep it together.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Tidus asked.

Cloud wanted to answer, but he was afraid to. He was scared his voice would only come out a sob. Perhaps he couldn't fight anymore. He opened his mouth to reply, but he closed it again as tears brimmed in his eyes.

"Dammit..." he whispered.

Tidus pulled away only enough to see Cloud's face. When he saw those tears, he understood. Cloud didn't want to break down. Cloud _never_ wanted to experience emotions this strong, to feel this helpless.

Tidus wished he could understand just how hard this was on Cloud, but he doubted he would ever know the pain Cloud was going through. The only thing he could do was hold him. That was the only way he knew how to help.

"Dammit," Cloud repeated, his body trembling. Tidus just held him tighter, gently coaxing his head back down onto his shoulder. Those tears were still shining in Cloud's eyes, but Cloud wouldn't let them fall. Tidus wondered how he could be so strong, why he felt he had to hold back when all he wanted to do was cry.

Tidus let out a soft breath as his hand lightly rubbed Cloud's back.

"Everything will be fine," he promised, the feeling of Cloud's quivering, vulnerable form in his arms seeming so surreal to him. "I know you're scared, but it's going to be fine."

* * *

><p>The walk back to the alcove was quiet and uncomfortable. Tidus refrained from speaking, and from the look on Cloud's face, he was just as glad to have the silence. Everyone was quiet within the alcove as the healing and bandaging of wounds took place. Bartz fidgeted as Zidane and Yuna tried to bandage up his torso. With Laguna bandaging his own wounds, Cloud had been left to tend to Tidus.<p>

Tidus was abnormally still, allowing Cloud to dab at his bleeding lip with a cloth. They avoided eye contact as much as they could, a feeling of unease swirling around in their stomachs. Somewhere deep inside both their minds, they knew something had changed on that cliff. Something had fallen away when Tidus had seen Cloud at his weakest, looking so very vulnerable. Tidus had seen a side of Cloud that he knew he was never supposed to see.

Cloud tried to suppress his emotions, but sometime between the journey back to the alcove and the encounter with the false Zack, his sorrow had turned to rage. He threw the cloth down once Tidus' lip was clean again.

"We're not strong enough," Cloud said, his voice raised more than the others were used to hearing. The others turned their heads to look at him, their weary faces full of disquietude.

"We weren't _ready_," Bartz spoke up. "They caught us off guard. We didn't expect to see the people we saw."

"He's right. Seeing people close to us, people who've died... That's quite the shocker. Hard to be ready for that," Laguna said, eyeing Cloud.

"Well, we just have to _be_ ready," Cloud muttered.

"Hey, you can't go blaming us! You weren't even here! Maybe we would have been strong enough if we'd worked as a team," Zidane shouted, the word 'team' causing both Tidus and Cloud to flinch a little.

"I'm not having this conversation. We were played. It's not going to happen again," Cloud retorted, his voice fierce as he stormed out of the alcove.

The others eyed each other in confusion and disbelief. No one was used to seeing Cloud in such an upset. Tidus watched Cloud go, and though it terrified him, he knew he was the only one who could possibly comfort Cloud at this point; he was the only one who knew what had happened on that cliff.

Tidus followed Cloud out of the alcove, but Cloud kept his back to him as he strode off toward the forest.

"You're not leaving again, are you?" Tidus asked, his voice firm enough that he hoped Cloud would answer.

"I just need a minute alone," he replied, stopping in front of where the woods opened up.

"What happened in there?" Tidus asked, referring to Cloud's sudden outburst. His brows arched as he awaited an explanation.

"We were all too weak. I just had to make that clear," Cloud answered, coolly, stopping in his tracks.

"It's not that," Tidus stated, softly. "You're shaken up, Cloud. Like Bartz said, you weren't expecting Chaos to pull a stunt like that. No one was."

"And we all ended up hurt. What does that tell you? We're not strong enough," Cloud repeated.

"Cloud, what you just went through wasn't easy. I get that. And I also understand that it wasn't easy... for you to cry in front of me," Tidus said, slowly, though he started to regret it when he saw the change in Cloud's expression. He looked so taken aback, almost insulted that Tidus had brought up such a thing.

"Don't expect it to happen again," he replied, but Tidus could hear the significant change in his tone. It was weaker now. His strength was gone.

"Back there in the forest, I saw my mom. I know how hard it is to see someone that you've lost, but I just wanted to let you know that if you want to talk about Zack—"

Tidus had barely gotten the name past his lips, and Cloud had reacted, his hands taking a strong hold on his shoulders. Cloud's glowing eyes pierced Tidus' sea blue ones. The younger man wondered if he had misjudged just how important this 'Zack' person was to his friend.

"Ow... Cloud, you're hurting me." Tidus' brows twitched from the pain of Cloud's tight grasp.

"Cloud..." Tidus whined again, when the other man seemed to be frozen. This time, his voice managed to reach Cloud, causing him to blink a few times. Cloud realized what he was doing, and he immediately let go of the younger man's shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize... I'm really sorry," he said, backing away a few steps. Tidus frowned and clutched the shoulder that was aching the most.

"Go take a breather, Cloud. You're not thinking clearly." Cloud looked guilty, ashamed for having hurt his companion, but Tidus looked so frustrated with him in that moment, he wasn't sure if he should bother apologizing. He turned towards the woods, but paused before walking off.

"Just don't... Don't say his name anymore. Okay?" Cloud asked, softly.

"Okay," Tidus whispered, weakly, as Cloud disappeared into the trees.

* * *

><p>AN: Hey, readers! It's been a few chapters since I left a note, so here it is. Just want to give out a big thank you to EVERYONE who has been sending me comments! It's been so great to hear your thoughts, and I'm glad so many people have been enjoying the story so far. I'm really pleased with the attention this story has been getting, especially since I sort of expected it to be a flop. It's hard to find Tidus/Cloud stuff on the web, so I sort of figured this story wouldn't be too popular. Clearly, I was wrong:) I'm glad to see people are enjoying this pairing, both those who are new to it, and those who have liked it for a while! So, thanks once again to everyone who's been reading!

So, now Tidus has seen Zack, huh? And Cloud is pretty upset about it. Ooh, so suspenseful. What will happen next? Please, stay tuned for Chapter 9:)


	9. Sunlight

**Chapter 9: Sunlight**

The bright sun rose over the alcove, and the tired, wounded bunch were far from being in the best of moods. Everyone was silent as they ate their breakfast—which consisted of wildberries and their standard dried out bread—around the unlit fire. Heads were hung low, and only the sound of slow chewing could be heard over the sound of the waterfall. Finally, someone decided to break the silence.

"What did those ghost things want?" Bartz asked. He knew everyone was thinking about yesterday's attack; he was just the only one brave enough to mention it. Laguna looked up, a frown on his face.

"I'll bet you they were manikins. Chaos wanted us to fall for their tricks," he said, his voice serious for once.

"Just waiting for us to slip up, huh?" Zidane asked, worry lines showing between his brows.

"Did _everyone_ see... someone they lost?" Yuna asked, softly, her hands resting in her lap with a tight grip on her food.

Everyone nodded, except for Cloud, who simply averted his gaze. Tidus' heart ached for him; he assumed Cloud was trying to block out yesterday's incident as best he could.

"And was everyone asked to join Chaos?" Bartz asked.

Tidus started to nod in response, but halted as he remembered Cloud's encounter, and the way the Zack manikin had so fearlessly tried to lead Cloud to his death. Quickly, Tidus shook his head—partly in disagreement, and partly to rid himself of the chilling memory.

"Not everyone. I was asked to join Chaos, but Cloud's manikin tried to get him killed," Tidus spoke up.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cloud recoil, but he felt he had no choice but to disclose the information. He couldn't keep details like that to himself when it might mean something to the rest of the group. After all, each of their lives depended on how ready they were to fight Chaos.

"Hey, so did mine. I saw... my love. She wanted me to die so I could be with her," Laguna said. The sadness in his tone was almost tangible.

"Sounds like they want some of us out of the picture altogether," Zidane said, tossing the last of his food away and folding his arms in front of him.

"Who did you see, Cloud?" Bartz asked, without thinking. He backed off when he saw Cloud's hurt expression. Cloud's mouth parted slightly, his lips and eyes twitching as he tried to hide his pain.

"It doesn't really matter anyway," Tidus spoke up, trying to divert the attention away from him.

Cloud caught his eye. He hesitated, then slowly gave Tidus a thankful nod. Tidus responded with a half-smile to let him know he understood.

"What matters is that Chaos knows us. They know what and _who _our weaknesses are. Right now, they have a big advantage," Tidus went on.

"Tidus is right. If they can create manikins of whoever they want, then we have a problem," Laguna sighed.

"You're wrong," Cloud spoke up, his courage returning. His companions turned to look in his direction. "We now know what Chaos is capable of. Like I said before, the next time it happens, we won't fall for it," he told them.

"That's easier said than done," Zidane argued, his arms still folded.

"Yeah, Cloud. When we see people like that... We can't help but react a certain way," Bartz tried to explain.

Cloud's eyes glimmered with sadness, and he lowered his head so no one would see. Despite that sadness, he felt better knowing that he hadn't been the only one to lose his ability to think clearly. Cloud shook his head softly and regained his composure, though his voice was gentler now.

"I know, but we can't. We can't afford to let it happen again," Cloud said.

Even with the sternness gone from his tone, he still sounded like he had given more of an order than a mere piece of advice. Everyone remained silent. They couldn't blame Cloud for being upset; they all were.

Cloud sighed, realizing he may have once again said too much. He hadn't meant to let his frustration show, but when it came to Zack, his emotions tended to run extra high. He didn't think he could stand it if Chaos were to mislead them like that again. Seeing Zack, with every detail recreated so perfectly, terrified him. One touch, and Cloud had lost all his strength, and with it, his good judgement.

"I'm sorry," he finally spoke up. "Yesterday was just sort of surreal."

"It's okay," Yuna said, forcing a half-smile. "We're all scared."

Cloud wished she hadn't said that. Was it that obvious he was scared? Could everyone tell?

"Look, maybe we just need to train a bit more. Cloud's probably right. We should be better prepared next time because we know what Chaos can do," Laguna said, nodding in Cloud's direction.

"We should try to avoid travelling alone. If manikins like that show up again, the more level heads we have, the better," Bartz added. The others nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'm up for training. How 'bout you guys?" Zidane asked, pushing himself up off the ground.

"If you promise to be careful on that leg o' yours, then I'm in," Laguna agreed, getting up as well.

"Right now?" Cloud asked.

"You're the one who said we needed to be ready, weren't you?" Laguna reminded him. He gave Cloud a sturdy pat on the back before heading into the woods with Zidane. Yuna quickly followed behind them.

"You guys coming?" Bartz asked, walking backwards toward the trees so he could keep an eye on his friends.

"In a minute," Cloud answered. Bartz nodded before jogging off after the others.

Tidus became instantly uncomfortable as he realized he and Cloud were alone, and he quickly got up from the ground. He faked a stretch, and pretended he hadn't noticed it was just the two of them. Cloud could sense his discomfort; it was pretty easy when he was feeling it, too.

Cloud watched Tidus from his spot on the ground, and tried to gather the courage to speak. The night before, Cloud had been so angry. He had gone off into the woods, his thoughts in a flurry of rage, and in that moment, he had hated Tidus.

He had hated Tidus for mercilessly cutting down the false Zack, for preventing him from freeing himself of his life of torment and misery. Little did Tidus know, that Zack had been the only thing in months that had been able to calm and comfort Cloud's weary mind. But as the rage died down, and Cloud's rationality returned, he realized what a mistake it would have been if he had accepted the manikin's hand.

He would have died, and it wouldn't have been a hero's death, like Zack's. No, it would have been a death symbolizing weakness. Cloud would have given in, accepted death, even when in the depths of his mind, he knew it wasn't his beloved lost companion offering it to him. Tidus had saved him not only from death, but also from disappointing the real Zack. Most importantly, Tidus had saved him from breaking his precious promise to Zack to keep living, the promise he had made on the rocks outside Midgar as Zack lay dying before him.

Cloud didn't want to mention what had happened on the cliff the day before, but he couldn't deny now that he was thankful for what Tidus had done for him. Even after Cloud had said such hurtful things, Tidus had still come back for him, had held and comforted him in his weakest of moments. Cloud couldn't let that go without acknowledging Tidus' kindness.

"I wanted to thank you. For saving my life yesterday," Cloud spoke up.

Tidus' brows twitched a little in surprise. He had never expected Cloud to show any gratitude for yesterday's events. If anything, he'd expected Cloud to be angry with him for showing up. Tidus stared at Cloud, whose eyes were fixed on the forest in front of him, but Tidus could still detect the sincerity in his expression. After a moment, Tidus looked down and gave Cloud a small smile

"Oh, that? It was no problem," he replied, honestly. Cloud nodded, and forced the tiniest smile he could manage as he turned toward Tidus. He waited a second, then opened his mouth again.

"This... doesn't change anything, though," he said, firmly, not wanting to give Tidus the wrong idea.

"I know. It's okay," Tidus answered, simply.

His soft smile remained on his lips, and Cloud relaxed as he realized he may have underestimated Tidus' maturity. Tidus wasn't pushing for them to be anything more than companions; knowing that made Cloud feel safer than he had in days.

"Are you okay?" Tidus asked, suddenly. "I mean, I know you don't want to talk about yesterday, but..."

"I'm okay," Cloud said, with a quick nod. He was lying, of course, but Tidus didn't have to know that.

"I think I knew from the beginning that it wasn't Zack, but the more he talked, the more I..." Cloud trailed off, not quite sure why he had begun to elaborate on the uncomfortable topic.

"Believed him?" Tidus asked.

"No," Cloud solemnly replied. "The more I _wanted_ to believe him."

"I know how you feel," Tidus said, his half-smile returning to his face.

Cloud didn't want to pry for further details about Tidus' manikin encounter; he knew what it was like to be the victim of such intrusions, and he didn't want to force it on anyone else. Instead, he let out a sigh as he rose to his feet.

"We should go train with the others," he announced.

"So, you and I... We're okay, right? We're cool?" Tidus asked, holding his breath, eyes curious.

Cloud stared at him. There was a hopeful gleam in his eyes, and Cloud didn't have the heart nor the will to disappoint him. Cloud's lips curled into a small smile for Tidus' sake.

"Yeah, we're good," Cloud uttered, trying to hide the hurt that still played in the back of his mind. Tidus returned the smile as they followed their friends into the forest.

* * *

><p>The group felt confident that there were no manikins nearby, as the loud clanging of their weapons surely would have attracted an onslaught otherwise. Laguna and Zidane were the first to spar while the rest of the group stood back a few metres, watching their every move in hopes of learning something.<p>

Laguna was quick on his feet, but Zidane still wasn't back to his usual energetic self. He was favouring his injured leg and it seemed that in no time flat, Laguna had pinned him to the ground, his gunblade pointed at his comrade's neck.

"You'd better take it easy, little man," Laguna said, removing his blade from its threatening position, and stretching out his hand to Zidane, who grudgingly accepted the help.

"Just you wait..." Zidane mumbled. Bartz elbowed Zidane playfully as the two returned to the sidelines.

"Alright, Tidus, how 'bout you and me?" Bartz asked, with a grin. He strolled out into what had become the designated training space, spinning his sword with playful confidence. Tidus smirked at him.

"If you're taking on an ace," he started, swiftly removing his shirt and pauldron and letting them fall to the ground. "You'd better be prepared to lose." Tidus entered the makeshift battle ring, giving Bartz a cocky grin as he began to bounce on the spot, sword in hand.

Cloud was slightly taken aback by Tidus' sudden removal of clothing, and he glanced around uncomfortably to see if anyone else was as surprised as he was. When no one seemed to think anything of it, Cloud decided he was probably just over-thinking things thanks to Tidus' recent interest in him. But as Cloud watched him move, the sun gleaming over his speckled bronze skin and his muscles tensing and twitching with each quick manoeuvre, he started to wonder if that interest would always remain one-sided.

After a few minutes of an equal duel, Bartz thought up a way to best his opponent. His sword flashed and changed into a weapon identical to Tidus'. Tidus' jaw dropped as he eyed the duplicate Brotherhood blade, its brilliant blue shining brightly in the sunlight.

"That's no fair, Bartz," Tidus whined, prepping himself for even more action.

Bartz charged at him, grinning as he went to make his attack. Thinking quickly, Tidus stuck his foot out in front of him. Apparently, Bartz wasn't prepared for such a simple technique. Bartz tripped and landed face-first on the ground, his blade vanishing from within his grasp as his power dwindled. He looked up to hear Zidane laughing from the sidelines.

"Good one, Tidus," the genome smiled, giving Tidus a high-five as he approached.

"Yeah, good one, Tidus," Bartz smirked as he got up, giving Tidus a smack in the back of the head. Tidus groaned and rubbed his head, then chuckled.

"You wanna go, Yuna?" Tidus asked, offering her a hand.

"No, that's alright. Someone else can go first," she replied, with a small smile, thankful that he had been kind enough to ask her.

"Cloud, what about you?" Cloud looked up in surprise when Tidus said his name, and he gave a quick nod as he followed Tidus into the training circle.

The elder of the two removed his sword from his back and got into battle stance, watching Tidus carefully as he started to circle him. Cloud parried as Tidus lay three strikes against him, then he spun around backwards, giving himself an opportunity to strike once at Tidus. Cloud shouldn't have been surprised when his athletic opponent easily dodged his attack, but he was.

Tidus grinned when he saw the look of shock on Cloud's face. Cloud was obviously impressed by his abilities. Tidus watched as Cloud recovered and took another swing at him. This time, Tidus raised his sword to block the attack, and as their blades locked, so did their eyes.

They pushed their weight against their swords in an attempt to disarm one another. Tidus sustained his cocky grin, hoping it would somehow wear Cloud down. That was when he noticed it—a competitive gleam in Cloud's eye. Cloud was actually enjoying himself.

Tidus couldn't help but smile even more, and Cloud took that opportunity to give a good shove against his sword. Tidus lost his balance and went tumbling backwards onto the ground. He stared up at Cloud for a moment, obvious shock on his face. Cloud tried to fight the sprightly smile that wanted to break free as he offered a hand to his companion. Tidus smirked and yanked the proud winner to the ground with him.

Cloud was stunned by the unexpected tactic, and landed on his hands and knees above Tidus with a grunt. He shook his head, and opened his eyes only to have them meet with Tidus' again.

Tidus stayed extremely still. Cloud wasn't moving, so neither was he. Cloud looked so mesmerized, Tidus was sure he might startle him were he to move. It was for that reason he stayed put, just watching Cloud's eyes as they stared into his own. He thought he should feel scared, trapped beneath Cloud's frozen body like that, but he didn't—that kind of scared him more.

Cloud's hands were just inches above Tidus' bare shoulders. His knees were on either side of Tidus' legs. They weren't quite touching, but Tidus felt as if they were. They were certainly close, and the way Cloud was staring at him only made him feel closer. Tidus did his best to keep calm—to steady his thumping heart, still his adrenaline-filled limbs, maintain his tranquil gaze.

"Are you hurt, Cloud?" Laguna asked, proceeding forward and placing a hand on Cloud's shoulder. Cloud jumped as he was thrown out of his trance. He tried to suppress the heat that was suddenly rising to his cheeks as he clambered off of Tidus and rose to his feet.

"Yeah, just a little," he lied, clutching his shoulder as if he'd injured it. Cloud avoided his gaze, as well as the gazes of everyone else, but Tidus watched him intently, wishing he could make sense of what had just happened.

He and Cloud returned to the sidelines, and the next competitors entered the ring, but Tidus couldn't focus on their battle. He could still sense Cloud's strong discomfort, even though he stood a few feet away. Tidus wanted to talk to him, but feared their conversation would once again end in hurt. Instead, he averted his gaze and attempted once again to concentrate on the duel between Bartz and Zidane. Maybe he was analyzing the incident too hard. Maybe Cloud really was hurt and he had misread him, but if that was the case, then why was Cloud so flushed?

* * *

><p>Evening came, and everyone was pretty exhausted after the long day of training. By the time they had finished, everyone had had a turn sparring with everyone else. Now, Yuna sat by the waterfall with Bartz and Zidane, healing Zidane's leg as much as she could with her magic. It would probably consume the rest of her strength for the day, but she didn't mind if it would take Zidane one step closer to a full recovery. Laguna, Cloud, and Tidus sat around the fire, trying to let their meal settle in their stomachs before they turned in for the night.<p>

Tidus was still fixated on what had happened earlier in the training session with Cloud, and he had since spent every hour thinking about what it could have meant—the way Cloud had frozen over him, the way their eyes had remained so deeply locked. Could Cloud have felt something for him? Tidus wished so badly for that to be true, but he wouldn't let himself get his hopes up because it sure didn't seem likely.

At the same time, it was hard _not_ to be just a little optimistic. The events of the afternoon had renewed Tidus' determination, and he found himself wanting to try yet again to make a move with Cloud. He knew it was risky, but if he were to proceed with caution...

Tidus was scared of making a move that might send Cloud spiralling away from him once again, but waiting around was difficult. Besides, Tidus seemed to be back in Cloud's good books. Leaving opportunities untouched seemed like sort of a waste.

Tidus' thoughts flip-flopped back and forth. One minute, he thought he might just ask Cloud what had happened during the training session. The next minute, he was telling himself to back off completely and give Cloud some time on his own, but it was Zidane's earlier advice that won out in the end.

Tidus wanted to try to pursue Cloud once again, but didn't want to make any more advances until he found out all he could about Cloud's relationship past. Perhaps if he asked Cloud about Tifa, then he would be given some clue, some morsel of information that might point him in the right direction. He needed to know how Cloud felt about her, how he felt about this Zack person—which, let's just say, Tidus had his fair share of suspicions about—and how he felt about love in general. Maybe if Tidus asked the right questions—the ones that would give him answers without upsetting Cloud—then he would figure out whether he was wasting his time hoping that, by some miracle, things might work out.

Tidus wasn't the only one trying to figure out the afternoon's events. Cloud's nerves remained in a tight bundle, and no matter how hard he tried to relax, he couldn't shake the unsettled feeling. He was ashamed for having hovered so long above Tidus' body, and the more he thought about why he had paused there, the less it made sense. He honestly couldn't understand why he'd found himself unable to pull away. Was it because he missed Zack? Because he missed being close to someone? Or had he found comfort in Tidus' eyes?

To be honest, he _had_ seen something. As he'd gazed into those sea blue irises, he'd discovered how gentle they were, how pure. Unlike Cloud's own, Tidus' eyes were a natural blue, untouched by the dangerous effects of mako. Those eyes, though still an extraordinarily vibrant color, were innocent. Safe. They had never been near the horrors of Shinra. Cloud felt that if he weren't careful, he could get easily get lost in them again.

So, had he felt something for Tidus? Cloud certainly didn't think he felt anything. Tidus could be really sweet sometimes, but Cloud had never thought of him _that _way, even after he'd learned of Tidus' feelings for him. That didn't mean Cloud had never thought of Tidus as being attractive. He most certainly had.

Tidus was undeniably beautiful. Sure, sometimes he ruined it by opening his loud mouth, but he also had qualities that would make even the finest of men envious. Cloud was ashamed that so many of those qualities he'd noticed were physical: Tidus' blond hair that had been so perfectly highlighted by the sun, all those light browns mixed in with blonds; his tanned skin which reminded Cloud of a sandy beach, and of course, those eyes—his safe, extraordinary blue eyes.

Cloud dove deeper into his thoughts. He felt as if he were cutting away at fragile pieces of his mind as he tried to knife through his emotions. Tidus. How did he really feel about Tidus? All he knew was that their rapport was the most confusing one he'd ever tried to sort through. Tidus had done so much for him: cheering him up as best he could when things were bad, saving his life from time to time, and just smiling when Cloud didn't have the strength to do the same. Zidane had been right; Cloud _did_ care about Tidus. Cloud just wasn't sure what that meant for them.

Cloud wasn't even sure how he would continue to act normally when he was so befuddled by the unnamed bond between himself and Tidus, but he found his thoughts wandering back to something his mother used to say. _Try to act normally if something is wrong. That way, things __might just blow over. _Cloud hoped that would be the case here_. _The best he could do was try.

Tidus looked up when Laguna got up from the ground and stretched his arms above his head. He yawned and ruffled both Tidus' and Cloud's hair as they sat on either side of him.

"Well, I'm off to bed, kiddos," he smiled. Tidus and Cloud sheepishly patted their hair down, hoping Laguna hadn't messed it up too badly.

"Think I'll hit the hay, too," Bartz said, standing up and helping Zidane to his feet along with Yuna.

"Yeah, it's been a long day," Zidane yawned. Laguna headed for his tent, and Yuna followed him after imparting a quiet goodnight to everyone.

"You guys turning in?" Bartz asked, as he and Zidane approached the two by the fire.

"I think I will," Cloud said, getting up from the ground.

"Actually, Cloud, can I talk to you for a sec?" Tidus asked, feeling his heart flutter even at such a simple request. He saw Bartz and Zidane exchange small, knowing smiles.

"We'll get your bedroll set up for you, Cloud," Bartz said, pulling a reluctant Zidane into the alcove with him.

Cloud tried to ignore the feeling of dread that swirled around inside him. He stood awkwardly beside the fire for a moment, and Tidus patted the ground beside him, hoping Cloud would relax enough to sit down again. Eventually, he did, but left a sizable space between them. Cloud kept his eyes on the fire as he opened his mouth to speak.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Oh, um, just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt too badly today," Tidus said, though he honestly didn't think an injury was Cloud's reason for hovering above him for so long.

"I'm fine," Cloud answered quickly, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

"And your wound from the other day, is that okay?"

Cloud put a hand over the bandage that Tidus had applied himself.

"Yeah, it's better."

Tidus didn't speak again right away, but Cloud felt confident that if he were to try and leave, Tidus would stop him.

"Cloud, can I ask you something?"

"I guess so," Cloud answered, but felt so hesitant.

"About you and Tifa. The way Zidane tells it, you two go back a ways," Tidus started.

He paused, waiting for a response from Cloud. The elder sighed, slightly confused by such a question. He was also a little relieved, considering the circumstances—at least Tidus wasn't asking about Zack.

"The way Zidane tells it? He's not always the most reliable source," Cloud speculated.

"Is it true, though?" Tidus asked. Cloud hesitated, honestly having no idea why Tidus would want to know such a thing.

"We _did_ grow up together," he eventually replied. Tidus expected him to elaborate, but he remained silent.

"But you two never... You were never a couple?" Tidus asked, carefully, still iffy about prying. He was almost positive Cloud would catch on.

"We were just friends," Cloud shrugged. Tidus suppressed a sigh of relief. So, Zidane had been right about that.

"You didn't like her that way, or what?"

"Things changed after I joined the army," Cloud explained.

"Oh yeah? Didn't want a long distance relationship, huh?" Tidus asked, hoping he was getting somewhere. A long pause followed, and when Cloud couldn't stand Tidus' eyes on him any longer, he opened his mouth again.

"There was someone else," he reluctantly admitted. Tidus swallowed hard, afraid to ask who that someone was. He was quiet for a moment, choosing his next question wisely.

"Was she pretty?" Tidus asked.

Cloud didn't respond. Tidus cast a few darting glances Cloud's way, waiting for an answer, while Cloud kept his eyes on the ground. He hesitated, his suspicions growing by the second.

"Tidus, you remember what I said before, right? Nothing's going to change between us," Cloud answered, feeling yet another uncomfortable knot forming in his stomach as he avoided Tidus' question. Tidus looked at him once more, his spirits dampening a little, but he didn't let it show.

"Oh, I know. I was honestly... just curious, that's all. Sorry," the younger man smiled.

"It's okay," Cloud said, pushing himself to stand. Tidus watched as Cloud stood there, staring up at the sky. As soon as Tidus' gaze fell back down, Cloud placed a gentle hand on Tidus' shoulder.

"I'm sorry things worked out this way," Cloud told his companion, softly. Tidus turned his head to stare at the hand on his shoulder, surprised by Cloud's act of compassion. He smiled, but it hurt.

"Me, too," he said, slowly, honestly, though he was unsure of the proper response. Cloud seemed content with his answer, and he forced a hint of a smile before giving Tidus' shoulder a pat.

"Goodnight, Tidus," he said, making his way toward the alcove. Tidus closed his eyes and tried his very hardest to soak up the lingering warmth of Cloud's touch.

"Goodnight, Cloud," he whispered back.

* * *

><p>AN: I forgot to mention this in the beginning, and thought I should point it out: I know that in Dissidia, the characters don't have any (or very few) memories of their homeworld, but for this story, I thought it would be better to have it so they did. I wanted to see how Cloud would deal with his feelings for Zack _while _going through this whole thing with Tidus, and I didn't know how that would work if Cloud got his memories back after the fact.

That could be something I explore in the future—Cloud slowly falling for Tidus (but is hesitant because he has these fragments of memories from his homeworld, but can't remember clearly), then getting his memories back and feeling guilty about Zack. But, that's off-topic.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter's new developments! Thanks for reading/reviewing!


	10. Patched

**Chapter 10: Patched**

"Well, there's the sleepy head," Laguna greeted, as Cloud emerged from the alcove the next morning. Everyone was sitting around the fire pit, and Cloud ran a hand through his dishevelled bed-hair as he proceeded toward the group.

"Sleeping late again, huh?" Bartz smiled, as Cloud sat down between him and Yuna. Cloud swallowed the memories of his dream-filled slumber, and nodded.

"Guess I needed the rest," he replied, simply.

To be honest, Cloud had slept a little more soundly than he would have liked, and although he'd still dreamed of Zack, the visions he'd seen were at least peaceful ones. For once, the most painful part of his slumber had been waking up.

"Cloud, we were talking about exploring the places where you and Tidus encountered the manikins," Yuna spoke up, bringing Cloud out of his thoughts.

"Oh?" Cloud asked, trying to keep himself still, though his body fought desperately to tense up.

"Yeah, our ghosty-manikins showed up here at the campsite. I searched for any remains of them this morning, but didn't find anything. You and Tidus encountered your little munchkins out in the forest, so maybe there's something there," Laguna replied, a hand resting leisurely on his thigh while the other waved expressively in the air.

"And what exactly are you expecting to find?" Cloud frowned.

"Proof that it really is manikins we're dealing with? It just seemed like a strange encounter. We thought there might be more to it," Laguna explained.

Cloud showed his agreement with silence. He shuddered at the thought of going back to that dreaded cliff, but he did want answers—anything that might tell him what that Zack manikin was, and what his intentions were.

"When do we head out?" Zidane asked.

"After breakfast, I guess," Laguna replied, reaching into a small pail in front of him and gulping down a handful of berries.

Tidus dared a glance in Cloud's direction. Cloud's lips were pressed hard together, and there was a line between his brows which was obviously caused by stress, but Tidus could understand why; he felt the same way. Digging up the past wasn't always pleasant.

"You want something to eat, Cloud?" Bartz asked, with a glance at his companion. Cloud snapped out of his disquieting thoughts, and managed a small nod.

"Guess I should."

"Here ya go, Cloud," Zidane announced, as he got up from his spot.

Cloud could tell from his stance that his leg had improved some since the day before. Zidane collected something from the pail at his own feet, then strolled over to Cloud's side the fire, hand full. As he approached, he nodded for Cloud to open his hand, and Cloud did as requested.

"Breakfast," Zidane explained, as he passed over the contents. Cloud stared at the few squished raspberries that had landed in his palm and grimaced.

"Raspberries. Perfect," Cloud mumbled.

Most people couldn't tell Cloud's sarcastic voice from his usual one, but Tidus was pretty sure he could detect it. Tidus leaned his head forward to peek past Yuna, and noticed the red fruit, confirming his suspicions.

"Hey, Zidane, don't give him those. Cloud doesn't like raspberries, remember?" he spoke up, voice light and playful.

Cloud lifted his head enough to catch a glimpse of Tidus' boyish smile. Needless to say he was surprised by Tidus' not only out of the blue, but also _accurate_ observation. Zidane rolled his eyes at his Cloud-obsessed friend.

"Sorry, don't remember," Zidane sighed. Cloud looked up timidly as Tidus got up and approached him, offering him a palm full of blueberries.

"Go ahead," Tidus smiled. "I'll eat the squishy ol' red ones."

Laguna and Bartz began to chatter away about the manikin search, and with the attention now off of him and Tidus, Cloud felt comfortable enough to make the trade. Cloud gave Tidus a nod, and Tidus poured his blueberries into Cloud's hand, while collecting the raspberries for himself.

"How did you know?" Cloud asked, startling even himself when he felt a hint of an amusement dancing on his lips.

"You told me months ago," Tidus fibbed, his smile twitching slightly. Cloud had told him no such thing; Tidus just remembered the way Cloud's nose had crinkled up in disgust when Cloud had eaten those bittersweet, red berries.

"I don't remember," Cloud shrugged. "But, anyway, thanks."

"No problem," Tidus grinned, as he headed back to his seat by the fire.

Cloud eyed the berries in his palm, then gracefully popped a couple into his mouth, revelling in the sweet and delicious taste. He felt a foreign feeling of contentment from the simple gesture of kindness. Cloud had never expected his fellow Cosmos warriors to notice such trivial things about him, as Cloud made a point of saying and doing very little in order to avoid attention, but right now, he was thankful for it. He knew Tidus probably paid a lot more attention to him than others did, but it still made Cloud's insides warm to know he was noticed, even for something as quirky as a dislike for those horrid little berries.

When Cloud looked up from his breakfast, he found Tidus staring back at him from across the fire. Tidus offered a gentle smile, and Cloud nodded once more in a silent thank you. Tidus averted his gaze then, recognizing that any lingering eye contact would most likely make Cloud feel awkward, but he was comforted to see that the signs of distress that had been etched into Cloud's features were now gone. He secretly prayed they would never return.

* * *

><p>Tidus led the way to where he'd fought the figure of his mother. At least, he was pretty sure this was the place; the forest was as disorienting as ever, but he was pretty certain he recognized his surroundings. The group spread out to search the area, analyzing every plant, rock, and tree for any remains of the ghost that had been there, but found nothing. No strands of blond hair, no scraps of clothing, not even any dust or crystalline remains from where Tidus had eliminated her.<p>

Tidus had been unusually quiet as they explored the area, and although it shouldn't have come as a surprise that he would be upset, the other warriors were still half-expecting him to be upbeat about the situation. They didn't ask who he had seen—they simply left him alone to his thoughts—but Cloud knew, and he found himself keeping a careful eye on Tidus as they wandered. Whether he was doing it out of concern for Tidus, or simply to see if Tidus responded as emotionally as he had after facing his ghost, Cloud wasn't absolutely positive.

"Cloud?" Laguna spoke up.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, casting one last look at Tidus as he scoured some rocks, before proceeding to meet Laguna. Laguna stood between two trees, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

"Tidus said you met your manikin on a cliff?" Laguna inquired. Cloud quietly gulped.

"Yes."

"Pretty steep, right? And no land visible on the other side?"

"Not that I could see. Too much fog on the other side."

"Right. I think Yuna and I came across it a few days ago," Laguna nodded. "Pretty sure I can find it again if I try."

"Oh. Good," Cloud lied.

"Well, will we head out then?" Zidane sighed, pushing himself up out of the thick clump of grass he was investigating.

"As long is Tidus is ready to go. Want to give him a minute if he needs some extra time to... Wait, where is Tidus?" Laguna frowned.

"Huh? He was just here. Tidus?" Bartz called out, giving up his fruitless search, and wiping his sweaty forehead as he got up from the ground. He raised a brow when the blond didn't reply.

"Tidus!" Yuna shouted from her position at a nearby tree. Cloud frowned and glanced around. The pile of rocks where Tidus had been mere minutes ago lay abandoned.

"Want me to go look?" Bartz asked, drawing everyone's gaze to him.

Cloud eyed Yuna as she stood by Bartz's side, her face twisted up in worry. He knew either one of them could comfort Tidus just as well—probably even better—than he could, but something was stirring inside him. Tidus had witnessed Cloud's reaction to his manikin, and had consoled him; now Cloud wanted to do the same. He wanted to make sure Tidus was stronger than he was; he _hoped_ he was.

"It's alright," Cloud replied. "I'll go."

The others mumbled startled words of agreement, but Cloud ignored their surprise as he headed past Tidus' rock pile, and through the trees that lay ahead. He only had to walk for a minute or two before he found Tidus crouching down by a small stream. Cloud proceeded quietly, not wanting to alarm him as he approached from behind. He watched as Tidus delicately brushed a hand over a white-petalled flower that lay in his hand.

"This is for you, mom," he whispered, setting the lily afloat. "Hope you like it."

"Tidus?" Cloud spoke, voice soft. Tidus' head whipped around to look at him. His bewildered expression quickly faded, and he gave Cloud a shy smile.

"Oh, it's you."

"We didn't know where you went," Cloud told him.

"Sorry. I just needed a minute," Tidus replied, lightly dragging his gloved fingers back and forth through the water in front of him. His eyes followed the white lily as it floated slowly down the stream, and Cloud found himself staring after it. It was certainly a beautiful way of remembering someone, a ritual filled with such sentiment.

"I know, looking for traces of these manikins—or whatever they are—isn't easy," Cloud acknowledged.

"I know she wasn't real," Tidus spoke up, his eyes still on the water. He couldn't look at Cloud right then. He couldn't bear for him to see such a vulnerable side of him, not yet. Luckily for him, Cloud didn't see him as showing any weakness.

Cloud could hear that his comrade's voice contained sadness, but unlike Cloud, there were no tears. Cloud wondered if perhaps with Tidus, there were never any tears; maybe he simply grieved in a different way. He could set that lily afloat as tribute to someone he'd lost, smiling softly, expressing his loneliness with positivity—Cloud found it a comforting thought.

"But it was still hard to see her. And I feel like I let her down, you know?" Tidus went on. "She said she wanted me to join Chaos along with my dad, and I... I said no. I fought her instead."

"Are you doubting yourself?" Cloud asked, heart leaping into his throat as he sought the answer.

"No, not really. I know I did the right thing. Those ghosts were our enemies, right?" Tidus asked.

Cloud shivered as he thought back to his own manikin. Even if it had wanted to get him killed, it had still _looked_ like Zack, and it was hard to think that Zack could be his enemy in any way. When Cloud didn't reply, Tidus let out a soft chuckle.

"Guess it's too late to be reconsidering, anyway, huh?"

"Guess so," Cloud replied.

He turned his attention toward Tidus' lily, almost out of sight now as it made its way to a bend in the stream. Cloud released a small sigh as he sat down beside his companion. Tidus glanced at him fleetingly.

"Were you and your mother very close?" Cloud asked cautiously, hoping to offer some comfort.

"Yes, and no," Tidus replied, not seeming to mind that Cloud had posed a personal question. He thrust a hand through his hair as he gathered his words.

"She raised me mostly on her own. Dad was gone a lot of the time, and was drunk most of the rest. But whenever he came home from a long time away, he and my mom would talk for hours. When that happened, it was hard to get their attention. Even my mom, she... hardly noticed me when Dad was around."

Cloud frowned slightly; the response was somewhat shocking to him. It was hard to picture someone as seemingly cheerful and carefree as Tidus to have a tough upbringing. He'd always imagined Tidus being raised under constant sunlight and love.

"Sounds difficult," Cloud spoke up, letting Tidus know he was listening. Tidus sat back and pulled his legs up against his chest. He nestled his chin atop his knees, and let out a sigh.

"After my old man went missing, Mom was never the same. She stopped eating and didn't even speak much, and eventually she..." Tidus trailed off, but he saw Cloud nod out of the corner of his eye, letting him know he didn't need to finish that sentence in order for Cloud to understand.

"Guess that's why I hate my old man so much."

"That's right. You plan to fight him, don't you?" Cloud questioned.

"Mm-hmm," Tidus nodded.

A couple more quiet seconds passed, and the silence made Tidus realize how deep in conversation they had been. He shook his head timidly; he had given Cloud a lot of information, and he hoped he hadn't bored him.

"Sorry," he said, with a chuckle. "Didn't mean to ramble on like that."

"It's alright. I was the one who asked," Cloud reminded him, forcing a half-smile. "Besides, sometimes it's good to vent."

They continued to sit in peaceful silence as minute after minute passed. Cloud stole several glances in Tidus' direction, admiring the way Tidus maintained the soft smile that graced his lips. In moments like these, Cloud enjoyed Tidus' company. He liked listening to Tidus talk, because he knew Tidus never expected him to reply with much, and right now, he felt he was learning from Tidus. He couldn't help but envy Tidus' ability to speak so freely about his past. It seemed so easy for him, even with the memories of the false manikin encounter so fresh in his mind.

Even considering their rough patches, Cloud's thoughts kept coming back to the same point: Tidus had proven himself on that cliff. He had proven that he cared for Cloud, that he was willing to help when Cloud was in danger, even when things were less than amiable between them. Even now, they maintained a mutual bond, always making sure the other was okay, despite the complexities that lay under the surface. That was true friendship, and it was enough. If they could stay like they were now, Cloud would be content.

Their silent repose sped to an unexpected halt as a shout rang out in the distance. They exchanged nervous glances, and leapt up from their positions, leaving their peaceful moment behind, though both felt it had ended too soon.

"Sounds like trouble," Tidus huffed, drawing his sword.

"Let's go," Cloud nodded, darting into the forest.

* * *

><p>"Watch out!" Zidane shouted.<p>

The gigantic Malboro opened its wide mouth and unleashed a breath of sickly green air. The group did their best to guard against the attack, then jumped back into action, hacking away at the giant beast. Tidus jumped into the air, and bounced off the enemy's head before releasing Energy Rain. Beams of white light shot into the creature, making it screech.

"Get it now!" Cloud yelled. Bartz and Zidane charged in, finishing the creature off in a few slick movements. They jumped back as it squirmed and collapsed in a smelly mound in front of their eyes.

"Whew!" Bartz sighed, falling down on his backside. "What a fight."

"You're telling me! You sent Cloud and I to fight one of those on our own, remember?" Tidus smirked, flicking Bartz in the back of the head. "Thanks for that."

"Oh right. You're very welcome," Bartz teased, smiling sweetly. Cloud released a heavy breath as he slung the Buster Sword onto his back.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"Laguna went to check out the cliff along with Yuna," Zidane replied. Cloud nodded, stomach flipping with concern, fearing they might find something there. The only blessing was that he wouldn't have to investigate the cliff himself.

"I take it you didn't find anything else here?" Cloud asked.

"Nope, nothing," Bartz replied.

"Figures," Tidus sighed, though he was just as relieved. Too many reminders of home, and he probably wouldn't be able to hold it together so well.

Bartz turned his head when he saw Cloud flinch out of the corner of his eye. Cloud frowned as a sharp pain shot through his head, like a needle. It was gone as quickly as it had come, but Cloud rubbed gingerly at his temple where the initial sting had been. The others noticed his discomfort.

"You okay?" Zidane frowned.

"Yeah. Sudden headache, but it's gone," Cloud announced.

Laguna and his summoning companion came into view, making their way through the maze of trees.

"Anything?" Tidus asked.

"Yep. You're never gonna believe this," Laguna answered, sounding serious.

He headed straight for a clump of small flowers that they had only quickly analyzed during their little hunt. He waved his friends over, and they hunched in a circle around him.

"See this?" Laguna said, pointing to one of the flowers.

Its thick green stem was long, and the bottom of the flower was hugged by large green leaves. The blossom itself was purple, with big petals and yellow pistils and stamens growing from the centre.

"Don't touch it," Laguna instructed, putting a cautioning hand out to the others. "If it's disturbed, its pollen will disorient you."

"Disorient?" Zidane questioned.

"Make your head all funny," Laguna replied.

"It makes it hard to think straight," Yuna added.

"How do you know?" Tidus asked, leaning his head forward to get a better look, though it was a little difficult to do without bumping heads with someone else.

"Before I started travelling with Yuna, I ran into Onion Knight and Terra. They warned me about these flowers. They release a pollen that can temporarily alter your way of thinking, or meddle with your perceptions," Laguna explained.

"In other words, make you a little loopy?" Bartz asked, raising a brow.

"That's the idea," Laguna agreed. "Can't believe it didn't occur to me 'til now, but I'll bet these are the flowers they were talking about."

Cloud bit his lip as the significance of the information sunk in.

"Were these flowers on the cliff?" Cloud asked.

"There were a few, yes," Yuna replied.

"And did they look like they had been... disturbed?"

Laguna glanced across the circle of heads, and could clearly see the look of disdain on Cloud's face. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure which answer Cloud was hoping to hear. Laguna pushed himself to stand up, and the others followed his lead, leaving the flower patch alone. They dispersed, talking amongst themselves, and glancing around the woods once more—this time, looking for the correct direction back to camp. Cloud's eyes were still on Laguna, waiting for an answer. Laguna simply tossed an arm around Cloud's neck.

"Don't you worry about those munchkins," he grinned. "They probably won't show up again for a while anyway."

"Laguna," Cloud said, sternly, shrugging the man off of him. "I want to know." Laguna let out a heavy breath, and his head fell to the side in dismay, like he really didn't want to speak up, but Cloud sure didn't look like he wanted to be sheltered from the truth.

"The plants did look like they'd lost some pollen. A couple of flowers looked like they'd been brushed through," Laguna explained. Cloud's face twinged as his expression threatened to sadden.

"Hey, don't feel bad. You weren't the only one. There are trampled flowers over there, too," Laguna said, pointing a finger toward another clump of flowers that lay a few feet away. Cloud swallowed hard, knowing those must have been the ones Tidus had run into.

"And I'll bet you anything, there are some back at camp, too," the brunet finished. He gave Cloud's shoulder a pat as he strode off. Cloud hoped Tidus hadn't heard the conversation, but when he looked behind him and saw Tidus staring at the patch of disarrayed flowers, he knew he had.

Tidus caught Cloud's eye only for a second, then he lowered his head and rubbed his arm timidly. Cloud recognized his nervous habit immediately, and took a few steps towards him. Cloud opened his mouth, searching for words of comfort, but he couldn't think of any. They were all in the same boat, had all fallen for the same trap. Cloud, for the life of him, couldn't think of anything to say that would make the situation better. Thankfully, not everyone was as speechless.

"Guess we'll just have to stay on the lookout for more of those stupid geraniums," Zidane muttered, loudly.

"Right. Let's just be on the alert for next time," Bartz agreed, but his attention shot toward Cloud as Cloud's hand flew to his head once again.

"You sure you're okay?" Bartz asked him.

"Oh, yeah," Cloud assured him, frowning as he rubbed tenderly at his head again. "I'm fine."

"Should we head back?" Yuna asked, eyeing her companions.

"Guess we should. Need to formulate a new plan," Laguna agreed, giving a wave for her to follow him as he headed back in the direction of the camp.

The four remaining warriors followed suit, but Tidus and Cloud lagged behind. They needed that extra minute to put their lingering emotions to rest, emotions caused by those dreaded battles with their beloved ghosts.

* * *

><p>Things were quiet once the warriors made it back to the campsite. Zidane admitted his leg was aching a little, so Yuna took him into the alcove to heal him for a while. Laguna and Tidus were getting the fire ready to cook up something for lunch, and Cloud and Bartz sat at the edge of the bank, watching the waterfall.<p>

"Hope Zidane's doing okay in there," Bartz said, quickly scanning the alcove before looking back at the water.

"I'm sure he's fine. He seems pretty resilient," Cloud said. Bartz smiled.

"Yeah, he is."

A frown fell upon Bartz's face as Cloud's eyes scrunched closed.

"Something wrong?" Bartz asked. It took Cloud a minute to recover, and he looked a tad pale when his eyes finally opened again.

"Yeah, I'm just... not feeling the best," he reluctantly divulged.

He'd been feeling sicker and sicker ever since that headache had struck him earlier, but as always, he didn't want to let on. His companions had enough on their plates without having to worry about him, too, but this feeling of malaise was getting hard to ignore.

"You don't look the best either," Bartz observed. "Your face is pretty white."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Cloud tried to convince his friend, but Bartz wasn't so easily persuaded.

"Hey, Laguna. Come here a sec, will you?" he called. Laguna and Tidus looked up from their half-completed tinder pile. Laguna wiped his forehead on his sleeve and proceeded toward his companions by the waterside.

"What's up, guys?" Laguna asked, but he didn't need a response once he'd caught a glimpse of Cloud.

"Oh, you don't look so good."

"That's what I thought," Bartz agreed.

"I'm sure I'm okay. It'll probably pass," Cloud tried once again, but his words were followed by a shiver. Needless to say, no one seemed convinced.

"Are you sick, Cloud?" came Tidus' worried voice. He walked up and peeked around Laguna to see Cloud's pale face. Cloud briefly met Tidus' eyes.

"It seems so," Cloud sighed.

"When did you start feeling sick?" Laguna asked, the knees of his pants getting a little wet as he knelt in the water in front of Cloud. He inspected Cloud's face once more, before reaching for his wrist and pressing his fingers hard against it.

"Pulse is strong. That's good," he announced.

"This afternoon. I started feeling sick after fighting that Malboro," Cloud informed his companions; they exchanged suspicious glances.

"Malboro?" Bartz repeated.

"Maybe you were poisoned, Cloud," Tidus spoke up. Cloud opened his mouth to deny it, but the more the information settled in his brain, the more it made sense.

"Yeah," Cloud said, quietly. "Maybe so." His stabbing headaches, his pale face and shivering body—the symptoms added up.

"Alright, antidotes, anyone?" Laguna asked.

"We're all out," Bartz replied, with a sorry shake of his head.

"I'll check our supplies, but I think we're out, too," Laguna added. Tidus was quick to speak up.

"I can make one." All heads turned toward the young blond.

"You can? How?" Bartz asked.

"My dad taught me years ago. I'll have to find some ingredients, but I know I can do it," Tidus promised them. Cloud stared up at his companion.

"You don't need to trouble yourself. I'm sure some rest will cure it," he assured him.

"It's no trouble," Tidus smiled. "I just need to grab a few things from the forest, and it'll be made in no time."

"Okay," Cloud hesitantly agreed. Tidus gave him a thumbs-up before grabbing his sword from beside the fire. Bartz got up and brushed himself off.

"I'll go with him. Don't want him getting lost," he grinned, as he took off after Tidus.

"Those are some great friends you have," Laguna laughed, standing up and giving Cloud a pat on the shoulder. Cloud turned his head to see Bartz and Tidus disappear into the forest.

"Yeah, they are," he nodded, softly.

* * *

><p>It took an hour for Tidus to get the antidote ready. Cloud sat against the outside wall of the alcove now, his head resting limply against the rock. When poison spread, it spread fast. The aches in Cloud's head had travelled downward through his body, making his arms and legs throb as well. He was cold, yet he sweat hot beads of perspiration. By the time Tidus knelt at his side with his medicine, Cloud was more than thankful that he had agreed to letting him prepare the treatment.<p>

"Here, drink this," Tidus said, softly, holding a teacup out to Cloud. Cloud reached out and accepted the cup, eyeing the plant residue that was caked around the outsides. The beverage's deep green colour would have turned his stomach if Cloud hadn't already been feeling sick.

"I know, it looks gross," Tidus laughed.

"That's an understatement," Cloud uttered, staring into the cup.

"Do you trust me?" Tidus asked, causing Cloud to look up at him. Tidus held his breath, awaiting an answer. He hoped Cloud couldn't see how much that question meant to him.

Cloud paused, repeating the question over to himself in his head. Did he trust Tidus? He was a little surprised by his answer, but he went with his gut. The past few days had made it clear.

"Yes," Cloud replied, truthfully.

"Then drink up," Tidus smiled, hiding the extent of his joy.

Cloud nodded, and brought the cup to his lips. Under the circumstances, he was willing to try anything to rid himself of the illness. To his surprise, the antidote tasted a lot better than he thought it would. Obviously, Tidus had added a sweetener to the mix, probably for his sake.

"Wow. I'm... shocked," Cloud admitted, a tiny smile forming on his lips.

"Doesn't taste too bad, does it?" Tidus asked.

"No, it doesn't."

Tidus continued to smile, and turned his head to watch the waterfall as Cloud downed the rest of the medicine, not wanting to stare too long at his poor, sick companion; he looked uncomfortable enough as it was. Cloud set the teacup down beside him once he had finished, and turned his attention to Tidus.

"You said your father taught you to make that?" Cloud asked.

"Oh, yeah," Tidus nodded, his gaze fluttering back to Cloud. "I started playing Blitzball at an early age, and the rules aren't exactly clean."

"You mean, you're allowed to poison other players?" Cloud frowned.

"Yep. That's why you gotta know how to heal," Tidus explained. He grinned a moment later, and Cloud couldn't help but release a small smile in return; Tidus' optimism sure was amazing sometimes.

"Guess your father wasn't all bad," Cloud commented. Tidus smirked.

"He had his moments, I guess."

"Well, thanks for the antidote, Tidus," Cloud spoke up again, raising the empty teacup once more to emphasize his point.

"No problem. It usually works pretty fast, so don't be surprised if you start getting better within the hour," Tidus said, pushing himself up from the ground. "Feel better, Cloud."

"Thank you," Cloud whispered.

He watched as Tidus headed into the alcove—probably to check on Zidane's progress—then drew his gaze to Laguna as he emerged from his tent, a small box tucked under his arm. He approached Cloud with a gentle smile on his face.

"How's the patient doin'?"

"I drank the antidote. Tidus said it shouldn't take too long to kick in," Cloud explained.

"Good," Laguna said, kneeling down in front of Cloud. "Look, I found this when I was checking through our stuff. Healing supplies. You name it, it's probably in there. Aside from antidotes, that is," he chuckled. "Yuna and I found two of these med kits, so you should take this one."

"Is this a hint?" Cloud smirked, slightly. "I'm getting hurt too much?"

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that," Laguna laughed, waving a hand in the air. "Just in case Yuna and I decide to go our separate ways, I thought I should leave this with you four, and word has it, you're the best healer in the group."

"I'm not bad, I suppose," Cloud shrugged, his shoulders feeling slightly heavier than usual from the weight of the poison. "Are you and Yuna thinking of leaving?"

"Well, no. Nothing's set in stone. I just know she finds it hard being here. With Tidus, and all," Laguna said, nodding his head in the direction of the alcove.

"Oh, of course. The breakup."

Cloud suddenly found his heart aching for Yuna and Tidus. Yuna was such a sweet girl. Cloud would never blame Tidus for breaking things off if the feelings just weren't there anymore, but Cloud couldn't help but want the best for his friends, for _Tidus_. A normal relationship. A normal life. That's all Cloud wanted for him.

He felt sorry that Tidus had fallen for him. He felt sorry that he might have had even a small part to play in keeping Tidus away from Yuna, but he forced himself to remember what Tidus had said. Even when he and Yuna had first reunited, he had known she was different, that things had changed between them. Maybe even if Tidus had never met Cloud, his relationship with Yuna wouldn't have lasted. Even so, he felt sorry for both of them. For Tidus, chasing after someone he couldn't have. And for Yuna, being forced to let go of someone who was so close and yet so far from being with her.

"Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you guys have all the supplies you need, just in case we take off soon," Laguna went on. "You want me to throw this in your bag for ya?"

"Mm, yeah, if you wouldn't mind. Thanks," Cloud said.

"Yeah, no problem," Laguna grinned, getting up from his position, and taking the white medical box inside the alcove. Cloud leaned his head back against the rock wall once more, and stared up at the sky. He drifted off to sleep within minutes as the soothing sensation of the antidote began to spread through his heavy limbs.

* * *

><p>Nighttime came before they knew it. Bartz and Zidane were settling down for the night in the alcove. Laguna and Yuna were arranging some of their belongings in their tent. Tidus was tired, and debated turning in, but with Cloud still outside by himself, Tidus knew he wouldn't be able to relax enough to sleep. With quiet steps, Tidus made his way outside. He strolled toward the burning fire and sat down beside his silent companion. Cloud didn't need to look to know who it was.<p>

"How are you feeling?" Tidus asked.

"Much better. Thanks," Cloud said.

After his afternoon's nap, Cloud's energy had returned, and his pain had left him. He continued to shiver from time to time, so Bartz eagerly got a fire going for him, and practically ordered him to stay beside it and warm up. Cloud did just that, busying himself with odd tasks like repairing the tear in his bedroll, and sorting through his supplies bag, but Cloud let the knapsack fall to the ground beside him as he settled into Tidus' company.

"You're welcome." Tidus smiled, and flopped down on his back to stare up at the black, starry sky. It was a beautiful sight, accompanied by the tranquil sounds of the waterfall.

"Tidus?" Cloud spoke up, surprising Tidus by breaking such a short silence.

"Yeah?" he asked. "What's up?"

Tidus could just make out the pained expression on Cloud's face from where he lay, and he propped himself up on his elbows to show his interest. Cloud was biting his lip, hard. It looked like he wanted to speak, but was trying hard to hold back.

"Cloud?" Tidus tried, when Cloud seemed to be having trouble forming any words.

"The other night. After what happened on the cliff, you said you would listen if I..." Cloud started.

"Yeah?" Tidus asked, gently. "You wanna talk?"

Cloud's gaze wandered, and he caught a glimpse of Tidus' face. Cloud could tell from Tidus' soft expression that he was more than willing to help, not that Cloud expected any different. Cloud cleared his throat, and laced his fingers tightly together. He hesitated, but forced himself to speak.

"Tidus, when you fought that manikin of your mother... You said you found it difficult, right?" Tidus was taken aback by the question, but he recovered as quickly as he could, and formed an answer.

"Yeah. I mean, it did look like her, and it hurt to disappoint her like that. But when she turned against me, I knew I had to fight," Tidus explained. Cloud nodded slowly. It was a satisfactory response, but it made Cloud feel small, powerless.

"I wonder... why I couldn't fight mine," Cloud said, voice quiet. Tidus watched Cloud's face carefully, taking in each sad twitch of his mouth.

"I don't know," Tidus admitted. He honestly didn't know enough about 'Zack' to come up with a good explanation; the best he could do was try. "Yours did try pretty hard to lead you on. He didn't turn on you, he was just..."

"Kind," Cloud finished, though he hated himself for it. He was sure Tidus was going to catch on soon if he wasn't careful, but somehow knew Tidus wouldn't think any less of him for his feelings.

"Kind," Tidus agreed, giving a nod. "But remember, those battles were hard on everyone, Cloud. You don't have to beat yourself up over it."

"I guess so." Cloud gave him a grateful nod. "I worry about that pollen, too. Our minds were most likely affected by it, but what does that mean?"

"That's been bothering me, too," Tidus admitted, and Cloud was a little relieved to hear it. "I wonder if that's what made us see... those people. Who knows? Maybe they were just plain old crystal manikins, and our brains made us think they were something else."

"I guess... that would make sense," Cloud said, voice low. If his mind was able to see and what it wanted, then no doubt it would have created that image of Zack. There was nothing Cloud wanted more than to hear that voice, those words that would set him free from his misery.

"I know it's a little scary, but at least we're not the only ones who saw things. Means we're not crazy," Tidus reminded him, with a playful chuckle. Those words put Cloud at ease, and he managed a small smile, but his soft expression was quickly replaced with a frown as he rose to his feet, standing perfectly still.

"What's wrong?" Tidus asked, getting up just as fast, and glancing around. When they heard the sound of someone approaching, they swiftly drew their weapons and got into battle stance.

"I've got your back," Tidus promised. Cloud nodded again, knowing he shouldn't have to worry about Tidus in battle; he was one of the most skilled fighters Cloud knew, and after seeing him handle that manikin on the cliff...

Both waited for someone to approach, hoping the light of the fire would be enough for them to see during the fight ahead. Both froze as Kuja floated around the corner, a smirk on his face.

"And where is little Zidane tonight?"

Tidus was thankful when Bartz and Zidane immediately emerged from the alcove, weapons drawn. Zidane wore a ferocious scowl, but it only increased Kuja's smirk.

"Just walk the hell away, Kuja!" Zidane shouted, spit flying out of his mouth with his words.

"Aw, what's the matter, Zidane? Feeling under the weather?" the older genome asked. Obviously, he had noticed Zidane's injury.

"Doesn't matter. He's not fighting alone!" Laguna warned him, emerging from his tent with Yuna.

Laguna's gunblade was pointed toward Kuja, and Yuna wore a stern expression, staff clutched tightly in front of her. Kuja didn't look threatened. Everyone held their ground for what seemed like an eternity, then Kuja bolted forward to begin the fight.

The battle was disorienting and unsystematic thanks to the darkness and numerous fighters. Blurs of light and flashes of swords whirred in and out of the warriors' lines of vision. They haphazardly attacked, hoping to land some blows on the Chaos minion, but it was nearly impossible when so much was happening so fast.

Zidane cursed every time he missed the minion, and he kept catching glimpses of the man's evil smirk, making him even more furious. He heard Bartz give a groan, and he turned to look for him, knowing he'd been hurt.

"Yuna! Help Bartz!" Zidane shouted.

"Right," the girl replied, casting a healing spell in Bartz's direction. It was weak—Yuna had used up most of her energy healing Zidane earlier—but it was enough to keep Bartz fighting.

"Thanks!" Bartz called out.

The battle raged on, as disorganized as ever. Tidus caught sight of Kuja, and he panicked as he saw him head for Yuna, mustering a spell as he flew. The summoner held her staff in front of her, hoping it would shield her from the attack, but she knew it would not be of much help. She was the weakest of the warriors on a good day. She heard a sickening cry, and fell backwards as something collided with her. When the impact didn't hurt, she knew it hadn't been Kuja's magic that had hit her.

A loud popping sound pierced the darkness—most recognized it as an explosion of magic. Another cry followed, and Yuna quickly identified the voice. She felt sick as she concluded who had jumped in the way to save her.

"Tidus?" she asked, fearfully, feeling the ground beside her to try and find him. Bartz sent a spell spiralling into the campfire, making the flames fly higher, giving them more light. Cloud glanced over to where Yuna was, and he frowned when he saw blood sprinkled on her clothing.

"Tidus?" Yuna asked again, but the man beside her only howled in response. He was clutching his shoulder, and with all the blood covering it, Yuna couldn't even tell what had happened.

"Get him out of here!" Laguna shouted, repeating himself over and over again just to be sure he'd been heard.

Yuna held her breath when someone knelt down beside her, but she was relieved when she discovered it was Cloud. The strap of Cloud's supplies bag was slung hastily over his shoulder, and he pushed the Buster Sword onto his back before his hands reached for Tidus.

"I'll keep him safe," Cloud promised Yuna, as he pulled Tidus' good arm around his neck and hoisted him to his feet.

The girl nodded uncertainly, and watched as Cloud rushed away from the battlefield and into the woods. The summoner got to her feet and began healing her friends once again, while trying to ignore Tidus' bloodcurdling screams as they carried off into the distance.

* * *

><p>AN: ...Such suspense! Don't hate me! And sorry for the delay in updating; it was a busy couple of weeks, and I wanted to get this chapter nice and polished before I uploaded it because I really like this one. It's a long chapter, so hopefully it makes up for the longer wait this time:) Thanks as always to all readers/reviewers. You are a huge motivator for me to continue tweaking and uploading this story!

I hope everyone is enjoying the past Cloud/Zack references because, as you can probably tell, I am a Clack fan as well. But don't worry. Tidus isn't giving up on Cloudy yet. 3 Also, I'm a little amused that no one has been sad so far about Tidus breaking up with Yuna. I guess if people were, they wouldn't be reading this, huh? ANYWAY, hope to see you all back for Chapter 11!


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